tokujin yoshioka sites kou-an glass tea house on kyoto mountaintop

tokujin yoshioka sites kou-an glass tea house on kyoto mountaintop
all images courtesy of tokujin yoshioka

tokujin yoshioka reinterprets the culture of a japanese tea ceremony through a contemporary lens with the design of ‘kou-an glass-tea house’, sited on the stage of seiryu-den in kyoto. the project is not only a modernized version of a teahouse, evolved in architecture and aesthetic from the traditional style, but also an idea that traces origin of the culture peculiar to japan. by making the structure from various weights and angles of transparent glass, yoshioka offers an opportunity for people to sense the essence of japanese history and rethink its position in today’s society.

the setting gives viewers the sense of kyoto’s entire landscape

the japanese perception of nature is often characterized by its distinctive spacial perception, embodying the sensory realization of the surrounding environment. this appreciation of nature’s intrinsic beauty is highlighted in the japanese tea ceremony practice. ‘kou-an’ allows visitors to recognize the essence of the natural world by blending into its surroundings — placed at the height of 220 meters to give viewers the sense of kyoto’s entire landscape.

‘kou-an’ allows visitors to recognize the essence of the natural world
image © yasutake kondo

‘what I wanted to attempt to do through this project is not just to express regeneration of tradition and history by modern design but to think and trace why the tea ceremony which is one of the japanese symbolic culture has been generated.’ yoshioka describes. ‘the origin of the japanese culture will become visible by staring at the relationship between senses that we have unconsciously and the nature. ‘kou-an glass tea house’ will be an opportunity to look back what the origin of japanese culture is.’

nature’s intrinsic beauty is highlighted in the japanese tea ceremony practice
image © yasutake kondo

angular glass panes contrast the architecture of the nearby temple

yoshioka sites his transparent glass tea house on kyoto mountaintop, overlooking the city

new materials for the traditional structure redefine the identity of the japanese cultural ceremony

a rainbow effect is achieved when the sun hits the glass panes

thick slabs of glass serve as the floor of the structure

ripples in the glass give the natural appearance of water

the transparent chamber reflects the surrounding landscape
image © yasutake kondo

image © yasutake kondo

tokujin yoshioka participating in a traditional tea ceremony