Japan's Shishi-Iwa House Naturally Winds Through the Woods

Shigeru Ban Architects has launched the Shishi-Iwa House in Japan, a remote boutique hotel located in Karuizawa. Playing on the mountainous locale and wooded backdrop, the resort was designed to wind with its surroundings as opposed to disrupting the natural flow of the area. Shishi-Iwa House was specially constructed so that the roof takes on a curved shape, which is intended to conserve as many trees as possible. Using timber frames and pre-fabricated plywood panels, Ban developed a set of mod...