Further bolstering Karuizawa’s status as an architectural hub, SSH No.3, designed by Ryue Nishizawa, reflects an innovative contemporary riff on Japan’s traditional sukiya teahouse-style architecture, using hinoki cypress wood.
A modern riff on sukiya teahouse-style architecture, it consists of a scattering of 10 peaceful pavilions, connected by a flowing network of wooden engawa walkways – a contemporary version of the corridors that often border traditional Japanese homes.
Inside the minimalist pavilions are tea rooms, lounges and guestrooms with clean-lined expanses of hinoki cypress wood, touches of tatami and large cut-out windows framing green views.
For Nishizawa the project’s starting point was the idea of creating a structure deeply in tune with the beauty of its natural setting. And so all around are glimpses of nature – from the seasonal gardens that wrap around the pavilions to Karuizawa’s dense forests and mountains just beyond.
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