Absolutely gorgeous library built into the earth in Chiba, Japan.
The cleft looks like a water drop when viewed from above. As you wonder into the approach and pass through the plowed ground, a corridor of bookshelves appears. Architectural elements such as beams and columns have been eliminated, while the concrete void slabs cantilever out from the outer retaining walls and wing walls. The floor, walls, and ceiling all have an earthen finish and connect smoothly, and the lawn that has been planted up to the vertical edge of the slab hangs down lushly and gives the space a sense of dampness. This detail allows for the balance of irrigation and water retention to be adjusted according to the season.
Designer is Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP and there are more images on their site.
Found via Yatzer.
