In the striking new pavilion at Japan’s Yashima Mountain Top Park, the voids are as essential as the solids. Clad with scaly stone shingles, the structure’s sinuous form snakes its way around the site, defining six gardens that capitalize on spectacular vistas of the Seto Inland Sea and Shikoku island’s mild climate. The project is the product of Takashi Suo, who worked for the Tokyo architect Kazuyo Sejima as well as SANAA for nine years before launching his Kyoto-based practice in 2015. His first commission was this competition-winning scheme.
Hosted by Takamatsu City, the program was to revitalize a treasured landscape within the Setonaikai National Park. Officially designated a Natural Monument, Yashima—originally a separate island accessible only by boat—is valued both for its beauty and history. In addition to holding a castle and a Buddhist temple, it was the site of a major battle during the Gempei Wars in the 1100s. During the 1970s, the area became a popular tourist destination, with two hotels. “It was kind of a special place to visit,” comments Suo. Then, two bridges were built, connecting it to the mainland. Ironically, that caused the number of visitors to plummet, the buildings to be abandoned, and the land to become neglected. How to repurpose this spectacular place was the question facing city officials. So they held a competition. The brief for it provided a list of programmatic pieces but left their size, shape, and disposition to the contestants. “Mainly, they wanted us to think about the possibilities of the land,” Suo explains. For Suo, plunking down a single volume was not the solution. Instead, he used the topography and viewing points to mold a collection of exterior spaces connected by a continuous corridor of a building.
You have 0 complimentary articles remaining.
Unlimited access + premium benefits for as low as $1.99/month.