In her talk “Environment and Architecture”, Kazuyo expands on her and her practice’s belief of deeply connecting interior and exterior space in order to create integration. The work of her practice SANAA, really exemplifies that integration through well thought out spaces that use form and flow to define space rather than the excessive use of walls.
With architecture like the Rolex Learning Center, the single floor slab that bends, folds, and lifts turns one potential flat massive space into a series of interior landscapes with many holes punching through the roof and floor allowing light into the space.
The Japanese are famous for their clean and minimal design principles that percolate their culture. The Nishinoyama House in Kyoto is actually ten housing units in one that allow the creative tenants to share interior and exterior spaces while maintaining privacy, if so desired. The clean minimal design interlocks seamlessly with the intent to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
The Grace Farms building, pictured above, Is a building shaped and seemingly extruded from its landscape. It’s flowing roof hugs the contours of the landscape with only glass, small rounded steel columns, and few walls to separate them. Kazuyo’s work really shows the potential of this type of design thinking to create seamless interior and exterior spaces.
Image Credit: Dean Kaufman photograph of Grace Famrs. Arch Daily. http://www.archdaily.com/775319/grace-farms-sanaa/561e5d92e58ece0d5a00052d-grace-farms-sanaa-photo
ARCHITECTURE | LANDSCAPE | DESIGN 