Isolated within a seemingly endless stretch of flat, idyllic countryside, a small but dense forest emerges into view. Occupying 4500 square meters, the ancient copse has been preserved and nurtured in its rural setting. Nestled within this unique environment, we designed a cakeshop which is the second building by the same owner on the site, following a locally produced and consumed restaurant completed in 2015.

Gently sloping terrain and naturally dispersed trees, dappled sunlight, and rustling leaves provide visitors with a comforting and dreamlike backdrop. The restaurant is orientated to appear as if it is submerged in the forest to help visitors detach from their every-day lives and experience the forest from the inside. Visitors can enjoy the sight of the roots emerging beneath their feet and leaves flourishing overhead. On the other hand, in this project, the aim was to create a space offering seasonal cheesecakes, thus striving for an architecture that captures the changing seasons. Placing the building amidst the trees and elevating it from the ground to capture an unusual viewpoint allows for the appreciation of the forest from within, crafting a space that seems to drift within the forest itself.

The architecture was attempted to erase boundaries between the interior and exterior, as well as the loss of directionality. To erase the boundary between inside and outside, elements such as structural frames, walls, and slabs were extended or shifted to avoid defining the space. Although the space is structured by lines (columns, beams), surfaces (walls, slabs), and volumes (objects enclosed by surfaces), it was crucial for each component to exist independently as pure material. Therefore, careful consideration was given to the junctions of walls, slabs, and structural frames, ensuring that each material component remained distinct, even within a wooden structure, preserving its purity. Additionally, the strong presence of volumes in the space weakens the presence of glass, which separates the interior and exterior, thereby blurring the boundary between them. Furthermore, spaces rotated at 45 degrees were overlaid, creating four axes.

While intentionally introducing discrepancies between the plan and structural frames along these axes, the increasing number of axes leads to a saturation point, creating a space where orientation becomes ambiguous. By existing four axes in the space, it becomes difficult for individuals to perceive their relative position and lose their sense of direction, contributing to a loss of orientation. This sense of unfamiliarity excludes external information, immersing individuals within the space as if enveloped by the forest. Constructed through a simple operation of 45-degree rotation, this architecture appears complex and organic, resembling trees reaching for the sun, with branches rotating and stretching towards the sky. While initially appearing distinctive and asserting its complex spatial qualities, upon inhabitation, one feels seamlessly integrated into the forest, almost disappearing within it.

Due to budget constraints in this small two-story building, a traditional Japanese wooden construction method was adopted. Niigata City, designated as a heavy snowfall area, requires a design snow depth of 1.0 meter for this site. The design primarily allows for pre-cuttable shapes, while incorporating a varied framework by combining square floor plans. The second floor, designated for seating, supports significant loads with a 2.6-meter span, managed using joist beams. Regarding the entrance canopy, designed to withstand snow loads, it features a cantilevered beam with a substantial 2.5-meter span, supported from three directions, employing 300mm x 150mm flat beams. Following a simple principle, the structural plan exhibits diverse frameworks in both floor plans and elevations.