Contemporary Tokonoma: A rectangle carved into the wall

A tokonoma simplified to the extreme. It is a rectangular recess in the wall, 1.2 meters wide, 1.8 meters high, and 40 centimeters deep. All traditional components—tokobashira (alcove post), otoshigake (drop lintel), and tokogamae (alcove frame)—are eliminated, leaving only this clean recess. The inner walls are of the same material and color as the main wall, finished with right angles. The bottom board of the recess is slightly raised 5 centimeters above the floor, made of a single piece of solid wood. Inside, there is only one item: a ceramic vase with a seasonal flower, or a stone sculpture. A very narrow hidden light above illuminates only that single item. The wall surface outside the recess is completely blank. Avoid: adding tokobashira, otoshigake, and traditional decorative components; placing multiple items inside the recess; making the recess too shallow; adding decorations to the surrounding walls.

Translated from Chinese by AI.

一個簡化到極限的壁龕。它是牆面上一個內凹的矩形,寬一米二、高一米八、深四十公分;所有傳統的構件——床柱、落掛、床框——全部取消,只剩下這個乾淨的凹口,內壁與牆面同材質同色,以直角收邊。凹室的底板略高於地面五公分,材質是一整片實木。裡面只有一件東西:一只陶瓶插著一枝當季的花,或一件石雕。上方藏著一道極窄的光,只照亮那一件。凹室之外的牆面完全留白。避免:加入床柱、落掛與傳統的裝飾構件、在凹室內放置多件物品、把凹室做得過淺、在周圍牆面加掛裝飾。