This project was realized as a result of being selected as the winning proposal in the “Shiretoko Shari Multipurpose Station Design Proposal” competition held in September 2006, in which five architects based in Hokkaido were invited to submit their designs.

In 2005,Shiretoko Peninsula was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Located in Hokkaido, Shiretoko serves as an outstanding example of the interaction of marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The area is globally important for a number of threatened species of plants, birds and fish, and for such marine mammals as sea lion. The name of Shiretoko originates from the language of the Ainu, and is translated as the end of Mother Earth. My intention was to create a place that will shape the visitor’s memories. Using laminated larch lumber, I opt for the locally produced material but also make people recollect the sunlight filtering through the trees of a primeval forest.
The architectural solution based on the random interplay of solids and voids has been verified using the finite element method, to ensure stability. Laminated lumber acts both as a finishing and thermal insulating material. Gradual changes of the wood texture will add to the process of creating memories.