Seemingly floating above its surrounding forest, Shigeru Ban's cantilevered timber Seto Inland Sea, both co-exists with nature and enhances it. The contemporary wellness retreat spans two primary levels, each around 100m long and offering 360-degree views of undisturbed verdant scenery. Its name, Zenbo Seinei, refers to 'a place to calm the mind through experiences of zen whilst reflecting on one's self. This is heightened by the site's sweeping mountain views and peaceful, meditative atmosphere.
The story of Zenbo Seinei started seven years ago, when Yasuyuki Nambu, founder, and CEO of recruitment company Pasona Group, enlisted Ban to create an 'aerial zazen dojo' (zen retreat in the sky), inspired by traditional Japanese temple lodgings as well as modern wellness practices. Nambu, who had I spent much of his youth in a Japanese Buddhist temple, commissioned the building as part of a portfolio of properties that would revitalise the depopulating island. Following two years of planning and 18 months of construction, the retreat opened in late April 2022. The design brings together tradition and modernity. 'I aimed to create a simple structure limited in timber, and reduced any decoration to give it a kind of strict atmosphere, in addition to creating an inside-outside feeling,' says Ban.
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Denne historien er fra September 2022-utgaven av Wallpaper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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POLE POSITION
A compact Melbourne house with a small footprint is big on efficiency and experimentation
URBAN OASIS
At an art-filled Mexico City residence, New York designer Giancarlo Valle has put his own spin on the country's traditional craft heritage
WARM FRONT
Designer Clive Lonstein elevates his carefully curated Manhattan home with rich textures and fabrics
BALCONY SCENE
A Brazilian island hotel offers a unique approach to the alfresco experience
ENSEMBLE CAST
How architect Anne Holtrop is leaving his mark on the Middle East
Survival mode
A new show looks at preparing for a post-apocalyptic landscape (and other catastrophes)
FLASK FORCE
A limited-edition perfume collaboration between two Spanish craft masters says it with flowers
BLOOM SERVICE
A flower-shaped brutalist beauty in Geneva gets a refresh
SECOND NATURE
A remodelled museum in Lisbon, by Kengo Kuma & Associates, meshes Japanese and Portuguese influences to create a space that sits in harmony with its surroundings
Guiding light
Designer Joe Armitage follows his grandfather's footsteps in India, reissuing his elegant midcentury lamp and creating a new chandelier for Nilufar Gallery