Sakura by Mount Fuji Architects
What came to my mind were the two classic ‘Glass Houses’ by Mies and Philip Johnson. The sense of freedom and openness that makes us want to walk naked inside these houses surely owes to the transparency of the glass itself, but it is the fact that the buildings are surrounded by a pleasant environment ‘the forest’ that counts the most.
Since ‘the forest’ itself already provides a comfortable living environment, it is left for the architecture to separate internal to external atmospheres with thin, transparent membranes.They demonstrate that as long as there is an environment suitable for living, a ‘house’ is no more necessary.
What I looked to create here was a presence that would replace this ‘forest’.
More precisely, I attempted to generate a quality living environment by placing two large, swirled belt-shaped surfaces on the premises.
The pair consists of self-standing walls measuring 7.5 m and 5 m high respectively, made of lace-like steel 3 mm thick that filters light like sunshine through foliage, with holes punched out in a floral pattern depicting cherry blossoms, a traditional Ise paper stencil pattern.
As we make our way into the abstracted forest of cherry blossoms, we are greeted by an ‘environment filled with ‘anticipation’ for a living comfort.
July 2, 2007 - Category: Architecture - Posted by: Chantal - Comments: 0