The “Bubbletecture” of Japan is a brand all its own. Shuhei Endo has developed this ultra-contemporary “bubble” building of wood, glass and steel, rising in a valley near Osaka, Japan. Housing a theater, a bookshop and a workshop, Bubbletecture H illustrates how architecture invites the possibilities put forth by geometry and creativity. The contemporary structure takes shape as a multi-faceted bubble enclosed in rusted steel and swallowed up by the surrounding woods. The bulging 10,000-sq.-ft. building is constructed using local Japanese cedar. By being built off-site, the structure reduces negative ecological impacts. And by being fastened to the earth by only 16 five-ft. wide beams, the innovative design adds to the goal of a lesser environmental footprint. This eco-aware structure also mimics the cycles of the natural ecosystem through rainwater harvesting within the hills and valleys of its own landscape, and reusing it for irrigation. Shuhei Endo
via The Cool Hunter
