Project Name: Tsumagoi Villa G-Spiral

Location: Tsumagoi Village, Gunma Prefecture, Japan

Design Team: Akiyama Tachibana

Total Floor Area: 44.71 m²

Completion: 2024

Photography: Hirokazu Totsuka

Feature:

Project - Akiyama Tachibana completed a striking philosophical retreat project in the heart of Gunma Prefecture, transforming forgotten bubble-era resort heritage through innovative metaphysical architecture and thoughtful site meditation. The Tsumagoi Villa G-Spiral converts a abandoned resort development into a vibrant contemplative destination, demonstrating the perfect synthesis of traditional Japanese spatial concepts with contemporary philosophical thinking.

The villa is strategically positioned on volcanic terrain near Mount Asama, this 44.71-square-meter complex captures the innovative spirit of transcendental architecture while paying homage to the region's geological memory. The project's most distinctive feature lies in its binary spatial system that transforms the original concept of vacation retreat into an enclosed meditation space, creating a new existential order through what the architect describes as a "stage device for crossing between worlds."

Akiyama's ingenious design solution unifies two identical spaces with perfect linear symmetry yet radically different functions. The architect employed minimal material palette, chosen for its capacity to record the passage of time and spiritual contemplation. This spatial strategy creates dual realms that mediate between physical existence and metaphysical experience, generating architectural poetry through presence-void dialogue.

The villa's programming encompasses two essential spaces: the "void space" featuring carpeted emptiness devoid of function, and the "bath space" descending like a well into contemplative depths. The former workers' dormitory sites have been transformed into sites of introspection, while the charred landscape serves as backdrop for philosophical journey. Segmented yet continuous experiences create natural narrative pauses within the meditation path, allowing each spatial realm to shine within the broader existential narrative.

Most notably, the project transforms what was once a bustling bubble-era resort area into a contemplative sanctuary centered around silence and reflection, drawing inspiration from Haruki Murakami's literary explorations of parallel realities. This demonstrates how contemporary retreat architecture can push the boundaries of spiritual renewal possibilities while respecting historical memory and geological context.

Design Team - Founded in 2008 by principal Rei Akiyama in Yokohama, Japan, Akiyama Tachibana has established itself as a pioneering force in contemporary Japanese socially-conscious architectural practice, consistently bridging rigorous design methodology with social innovation technologies. With headquarters in Yokohama and secondary base in Kyoto, the firm has established itself as a comprehensive interdisciplinary consultancy providing professional design services across diverse building typologies throughout Japan and broader social initiatives.

Rei Akiyama, a graduate of Tokyo Metropolitan University (Bachelor of Architecture in Engineering) and licensed first-class architect, leads the practice with a philosophy of creating new choices for society and individual lives through architectural intervention. The Akiyama Tachibana name reflects the foundational philosophy of honoring ancestral heritage while creating innovative futures------a principle that manifests throughout their comprehensive project methodology combining paternal Akiyama lineage with maternal Tachibana heritage.

The firm's design philosophy centers on thorough investigation of architecture as social catalyst, with particular emphasis on addressing contemporary societal challenges through spatial innovation. This approach synthesizes professional architectural expertise with social responsibility, yielding significant works from philosophical retreats to social housing projects that demonstrate continuous advancement of socially-responsive architecture that breaks through in both cultural heritage and modern functionality.

Akiyama's mastery of metaphysical architectural language and spatial philosophy methodologies, along with applications of advanced social intervention techniques, underscores their contribution to Japan's evolving socially-conscious architectural discourse. Their recent work on the Tsumagoi Villa G-Spiral project exemplifies their persistent pursuit of pushing design boundaries while exploring existential questions------positioning them as thought leaders in contemporary cross-disciplinary architectural practice.

Akiyama Tachibana maintains headquarters in Yokohama with additional base in Kyoto, supported by a vibrant interdisciplinary team composed of architects, social workers, and academics contributing to the firm's continuously evolving social architectural discourse. Rei Akiyama simultaneously serves as adjunct lecturer at multiple universities including Yokohama National University, Tokyo Metropolitan University, and Toyo University, while serving as Representative Director of the National Single Parent Housing Support Organization, establishing Akiyama Tachibana as an important contributor to contemporary socially-responsible architectural creation in Japan and beyond.