Ken Sato, Takamasa Kikuta, Ato Takeuchi, Takahiro Fujihira, Yumi Goto, Akihiko Shimizu (NIKKEN SEKKEI LTD)

This resort was constructed as a recreation facility on the site of the late Japanese educator and diplomat Inazo Nitobe’s Showa era (1926-1989) villa. The restaurant, guest rooms and baths open to the lush forest to the north side of the property, maximizing the seasonal scenic view while allowing for some symbiosis with the environment. A two-story atrium lobby and restaurant with a fireplace occupy the building’s center, and a suspension bridge connects them with facilities at higher levels. The forest greenery, moss garden, stream, light, wind, and people intersect three-dimensionally in this space, fostering rich communication in a forest resort that communes with nature.