The brief for this project was twofold.

Stage 1 was to renovate the site, working in groups of three. My team dedicated the entirety of the site to an expanded form of the existing Ichimura Japanese Garden. Once occupying a significant portion of Watson Island, this garden was relegated to a tiny corner after the construction of Jungle Island, an eco-adventure park.

Stage 2 was to design the Japanese cultural center that would be situated there. While designing my cultural center, I wanted the building to act as an extension of the garden rather than an addition to. Inspired by Kenzo Tange’s Tange House, I crafted a sense of shifting in the building, leaving the upper floor completely open. Sliding panels can be moved into place to divide the floor into different sections as needed.