third nature designs dream-like campground with playful cabins in japan

danish studio ‘third nature’ reveals the winning proposal for a dream-like and design-minded campground outside japan’s city of inabe. while the world was in lock-down, the design team at third nature continued to develop the sustainable tourism project entitled ‘hygge circles,’ located along the outskirts of one of japans most populated areas. the work is proposed at a relevant time, as camping has become the ultimate social distancing activity in the wake of the global pandemic. promising cabins which seem to be dreamed out of a fairytale, the project marks a new shift towards low impact regenerative tourism, that focuses on developing regions sustainably.

with ‘hygge circles,’ the design team at third nature sculpts the mountainous landscape of japan to curate a campground dotted with circular cabins. the danish firm worked with japanese engineers structured environment and sustainability consultants henrik innovation. the park consists of three zones: an overnight area with cabins and platforms to support glamping tents, an area along the estuary where visitors can pitch their own tent, and a learning area in nature with a centralized space for activities. in the middle of the plan a larger, built structure will house the reception, shop, and workshops, offering a welcoming space for new guests.

third nature will scattered tents and cabins along a former campground at the foot of the mountains of inabe, japan. the site will be completely cleared of pre-existing buildings and will be introduced with sustainably-minded processes, using only renewable materials and repurposed building waste. ‘hygge circles’ is scheduled to open in the spring of 2021.

the design team at third nature recalls the cultural heritage of both denmark and japan with recurring circular motifs, in both the cabins and platform elements. early civilizations in both denmark and japan were founded in circular gatherings while the circle stands as a universal shape that symbolizes equality, openness and democracy. the shape has become the conceptual core that the team hopes to establish at the ‘hygge circles’ campground.