Reviving Tradition: Ryouriyado Yamazaki

Japanese Inn Transformed by Hironobu Furihata

Hironobu Furihata's design inspiration for Ryouriyado Yamazaki was to create a space that would astonish visitors and enhance their experience. The dynamic composition of the internal old woods, coupled with the traditional building structure, allows guests to enjoy local seafood dishes in an authentic environment. The concept was to harmonize the architecture with the climate, learning from traditional architecture.

The unique properties of this design lie in its transformation from a reinforced concrete (RC) inn to a wooden structure. Furihata relocated a robust old private house from the same Hokuriku area and revived it. This stately private house, built 120 years ago, was too large to be a general house but became a characteristic building as an accommodation facility by reusing it. All the fittings and interior materials that had been used before were also reused to maintain the atmosphere of the historic house.

Materials that have been valued by the Japanese since ancient times, such as wood, stucco, and reused wood fittings, were used in the realization of this design. The technique of craftsmen who have been supporting traditional Japanese beauty and relaxation in space was also employed. The structure is a two-story wooden building with a width of 29 m, a depth of 17 m, and a height of 11 m. The site area is 924.44 square meters, with a building area of 552.97 square meters.

The design interaction of this inn allows everyone to feel the strength, rusticity, and beauty of a Japanese folk house. The project started in November 2006 in Echizen town, Fukui prefecture, Japan, and finished in October 2007. The design research for this project focused on harmonizing with the severe climate and bringing the strength of the old private house structure to the fore.

Some of the design challenges faced during this project included using heavy old materials and old fittings heavily, which made it hard to harmonize with new materials. Another challenge was adding a calm texture and composure into new materials as if they were worn out. Despite these challenges, the design was awarded Silver in A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award in 2018.