This project was for the design of an entrance wall for a newly-built residence in Nasukarasuyama, Tochigi. The site is slightly elevated, sitting in a pleasant natural landscape made of wide farmlands with a river running nearby, and surrounded by hills that change each moment under the vast sky. The exterior is marked by a reflecting pool, paths made from local Oya-stone, large garden stones, and an exterior wall covered in yakisugi – cedar boards charred black in a traditional method. The interior employs several natural materials. Pure woods like white oak and ash is widely used, and the ceilings are covered in washi paper.

Amidst these materials, we designed an entrance wall using pieces from the Rust Harvest project. We were requested to create something overwhelmingly exquisite in a place where residents would not only pass through each day but would also greet guests as they entered.
We covered the 3215mm wide by 2523mm high wall with a grid made from 360 pieces from Rust Harvest, creating a work that looks like a large abstract painting from a distance, and when seen up close, reveals countless complex patterns of rust that seem like scenes viewed through a microscope. Steel glimmers between the patterns of rust, and the smooth acrylic surface reflects the surroundings. The wall not only has the dignity it should as part of an entrance, but it also harmonizes with the surrounding materials as it quietly blends with the changes that time and season brings while dynamically changing its expression.