THE MAGARIGAWA CLUB Clubhouse is nestled into the forested hills of Chiba, Japan as a study in managed contradiction – a private driving club’s hospitality venue where Joyce Wang Studio choreographed the psychological arc of high-performance driving into architectural form. Automotive culture demands contradictions that few spaces manage to resolve – the heightened alertness required for performance driving exists in direct opposition to the restoration needed afterward. The studio approached this duality not as a problem to solve but as a spatial dynamic to balance, creating a 18-bay clubhouse where the architecture itself performed the transition between adrenaline and recovery.
The design is operated through an appreciation for negative space and the ephemeral, drawing from traditional Japanese interior principles to structure the experience. Reinterpreted shoji screens function as both physical and psychological markers throughout the journey, carving intimate pockets within the expansive volumes while casting shifting light patterns across timber and stone surfaces. This manipulation of light became the primary tool for signaling transitions – bright, precise illumination in pre-drive zones give way to softer, filtered atmospheres in the post-drive spaces.
The pit lane lounge, check-in, and changing areas maintain an intentional clarity that mirrors the focused preparation required before taking the course. Advanced technology and ergonomic layouts establish a visual language borrowed directly from luxury automotive interiors. The timber ribbing creates intricate ceiling textures throughout these zones evoking the technical sophistication of performance vehicles while remaining firmly rooted in material authenticity.
“It was an honor to work with THE MAGARIGAWA CLUB to shape a unique and holistic resort experience for their members – one where performance and pause exist in seamless dialogue,” says Wang. “We are so proud of the destination we have created together and we are really excited to share it with our community.”
The onsen, spa, and infinity pool orient themselves toward panoramic views of both the driving course and surrounding forested hills, positioning guests to observe the landscape they had just traversed from an altered psychological state. The material palette shifts in subtle ways – the same light timber and stone surfaces that felt sharp and energizing in the pit lane are presented as warm and grounding.
To learn more about THE MAGARIGAWA CLUB Clubhouse by Joyce Wang Studio, please visit joycewangstudio.com.
Photography by Common Studio.