Jeju Ball, Block D by Kengo Kuma

Within the residential complex Lotte Jeju Resort, Kengo Kuma designs Block D. The house appears as a result of translating the landscape into the house scale. Because of the use of the volcanic stone, the house emerges from the ground as if it belongs to it.

Outside vision. Image © courtesy of Kengo Kuma.

The complex has been designed by several groups of architects, Dominique Perrault, Yi Jongho or Kengo Kuma are some of them. As a result of it an heterogeneous mixture of houses appears in which every architecture studio has presented their own proposal.

When I visited Jeju Island for the first time, I was so much inspired by this dark, porous volcanic rock and wanted to translate its soft and round touch into architecture. As the result, the entire house emerged as a round black stone. From distance, the house appears like a single pebble and when you are close, you notice that many parts of the house are of the black stone.

The stone eaves should be the principal detail for this house. Our intention was the light to come through the black pebbles. Light highlights the texture of the stone, and the ambiguous roof edge can connect the roof with the ground. The detail, placing the black stone on a steel mesh, enabled us to realize such vague and subtle edge. What determines the landscape of Jeju is this blackness and porousness. So we sublimated its feel in a scale of a house.

Text.- Kengo Kuma

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Stone roof. Image © courtesy of Kengo Kuma.

Inside vision. Image © courtesy of Kengo Kuma.

Overview. Image © courtesy of Kengo Kuma.

Transverse section. Image © courtesy of Kengo Kuma.

Roof Section. Image © courtesy of Kengo Kuma.

Floor plan. Image © courtesy of Kengo Kuma.

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KENGO KUMA

Kengo Kuma was born in Yokohama (Kanagawa, Japan) in 1954. He studied architecture at the University of Tokyo, finishing his degree in 1979. In 1987, he opened the "Spatial Design Studio". In 1990 he founded "Kengo Kuma & Associates" and extended the study to Europe (Paris, France) in 2008. Since 1985 and until 2009, has taught as a visiting professor and holder at the universities of Columbia, Keio, Illinois and Tokyo.

Notable projects include Japan National Stadium (2019), V&A Dundee (2019), Odunpazari Modern Art Museum (2019), and The Suntory Museum of Art (2007).

Kengo Kuma proposes architecture that opens up new relationships between nature, technology, and human beings. His major publications include Zen Shigoto(The complete works, Daiwa S hobo)Ten Sen Men (“point, line, plane”, IwanamiShoten), Makeru Kenchiku (Architecture of Defeat, Iwanami Shoten), Shizen na Kenchiku(Natural Architecture, Iwanami Shinsho), Chii sana Kenchiku (Small Architecture, IwanamiShinsho) and many others.

Main Awards:

· 2011 The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Art Encouragement Prize for "Yusuhara Wooden Bridge Museum."
· 2010 Mainichi Art Award for “Nezu Museum.”
· 2009 "Decoration Officier de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" (France).
· 2008 Energy Performance + Architecture Award (France). Bois Magazine International Wood Architecture Award (France).
· 2002 Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture Award (Finland).
· 2001 Togo Murano Award for “Nakagawa-machi Bato Hiroshige Museum.”
· 1997 Architectural Institute of Japan Award for “Noh Stage in the Forest”. First Place, AIA DuPONT Benedictus Award for “Water/Glass” (USA).