Shimonoseki-shi Kawatana Onsen Koryu Center / Kengo Kuma & Associates

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Text description provided by the architects. I Kawatana is a historic hot springs town from the Edo period. In recent years, however, the town is losing its liveliness for many different causes combined - decline in the number of visitors, closure of some uninherited inns or weak public transport. Under this circumstance, we proposed a building like a cave that organically follows the ground it stands and the mountain range behind the town, rather than simply maintaining the history and tradition of the town.