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Nestled among the grapevines of an orchard village, this community center is itself covered with grapevines. Meant to be a retreat that celebrates the fruit production of the town of Makioka, it is designed as a series of roof terraces overlooking the orchards of this lush valley, with a dramatic view of Mt. Fuji in the distance.
A network of cables supporting grapevines climbs up and over the outdoor terraces, creating a ceiling that marks the seasons.
In summer, the terraces become more enclosed and shaded as the vines grow thick with leaves and fruit, but in winter this dynamic ceiling dies back and the character of the building's outdoor spaces is transformed.
Even many of the railings are covered in grapevines, supported by bamboo lattices. By using vegetation as a kind of "building material" in this way, as a ceiling or floor or railing, the building changes dramatically with the seasons, so that those use it are made intensely aware of the cycles of nature.
Every roof on the building is a roof terrace, some tiled, some earth-covered, some wooden, and so a fabric of railings of different patterns and materials dominate the exterior.
The community center is a rich tapestry of outdoor spaces with varying degrees of enclosure, all built using local craftsmen and materials.
The walls of the center are plastered with clay that is indigenous to Makioka,
in the tradition of many of the older buildings in the area.
The exterior floor paving is made from traditional roof tiles of various shapes,
a detail that sometimes occurs in older Japanese homes to contain a perimeter gravel bed used for drainage,
and from every terrace at this community center that is half-building, half-orchard, there is a view of Mt. Fuji.
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