Based in Tokyo but born in a rural town on the island of Shikoku, Hironaka Ogawa still draws inspiration from the countryside. Even as he starts to land bigger and more urban commissions, daylight, natural ventilation, greenery, and trees'the elements of his childhood landscape'continue to enrich his buildings.

For Ogawa, that perception began developing at a young age. His family home, built by his grandfather 90 years ago, is a large, wood-frame, Japanese-style house that blends with the scenery. 'There was no division between the building and its surroundings,' says Ogawa. 'It opens onto the garden that connects to the fields that extend out to the mountains.'