‘GR230’ by code architectural design, kimobetsu, hokkaido, japan images courtesy of code architectural design

‘GR230’ by code architectural design is a highway service center located in the town of kimobetsu, hokkaido, japan. situated along route 230 at the crossroads leading towards kutchan and rusutsu, the facility is a vital hub that connects various towns and areas in the shiribeshi subprefecture, including popular tourist spots, museums, workplaces and homes.

featuring a simple flat layout that consists of shops, rest areas and food and beverage outlets, the building’s primary function is to provide services centered around food from the local area and tourist information.

code architectural design: GR230 highway service center entrance

considering its presence on the landscape and how the building may serve as a local landmark, the architecture itself incorporates multiple meanings within it, taken from the surrounding environment. influenced by the region, where winters can last for up to half of the year, the structure creates an abstract visual effect, boldly standing out against the snow-white fields that encircle it.

code architectural design: GR230 highway service center front

long, dark and reclusive in form, the building features an undulating exterior skin that wraps around the windows and

eventually pulls away from the earth. inside, large openings are positioned low to the ground, visually distorting the scale

of the interior volumes while framing the mountains in the distance.

code architectural design: GR230 highway service center interior

code architectural design: GR230 highway service center cafeteria

code architectural design: GR230 highway service center side elevation

code architectural design: GR230 highway service center site plan

code architectural design: GR230 highway service center site plan

code architectural design: GR230 highway service center plan and sections