John Pawson

Syukou Fujisawa Gallery and Café . Okinawa

John Pawson . photos: © Nacasa and Partners

The location of this project is a cliff-top clearing on the Chinen Peninsula, defined by its status as a viewing platform for Kudaka, the sacred ‘Island of the Gods’.

The mixed programme that will eventually include a house, is split between different buildings, making the quality of the overall composition a key aspect of the design challenge. A defining formal gesture is the first floor café window that protrudes from the simple box-form of the gallery, twisting to face directly towards Kudaka. The exhibition space is divided between two levels, the larger upper gallery being purpose-designed to house a private collection of pieces by the Japanese calligrapher, Syukou Fujisawa.

Project Architect
Shingo Ozawa