Updated by "Forest Circular Economy" Editorial Board on October 16, 2025, 2:57 PM JST
Editorial Board, Forest Circular Economy
Forestcircularity-editor
We aim to realize "Vision 2050: Japan Shines, Forest Circular Economy" promoted by the Platinum Forest Industry Initiative. We will disseminate ideas and initiatives to promote biomass chemistry, realize woody and lumbery communities, and encourage innovation in the forestry industry in order to fully utilize forest resources to decarbonize the economy, strengthen economic security, and create local communities.
Kitamoku, Ryu Mitarai Architects, and Mt. Toi collaborated to build "Dankyo" in Kitakaruizawa, Gunma Prefecture, and recently received the "Good Design Best 100 Award 2025. The unique structure of the 10-square-meter hut, which utilizes local natural resources, was highly evaluated, as well as the environment created through the careful weaving of people and architecture, which is reminiscent of the world of poet Shuntaro Tanikawa's poems.
Warm Residence" was planned by the current owner based on the concept of "a detached house for Mr. Tanigawa's residence. In designing the house, we aimed not only to provide a warm place to stay in the severe cold of Kitakaruizawa, but also to create a space where users and the surrounding nature become one through the five senses.
The most striking feature of this building is its unique structure, which minimizes the burden on the surrounding natural environment. In order to avoid laying a foundation that would inhibit the growth of tree roots, anchor bolts were driven into four native oak trees on the site to "hook" the building to the ground. As a result, the "warm residence" is maintained at a height of approximately 1.5 meters above the ground, giving it a floating appearance.
At the center of the interior is a wood-fired sauna that reflects the knowledge that Kitamoku has accumulated over the years. In addition to its function of warming the body through the warmth of the fire, the interior is decorated with local hardwood, Kihada, which was logged and milled by the company, to promote the circulation of natural capital within the community.
Between the four oak trees, four window spaces are arranged in a spiral pattern, with height differences, to provide users with a unique experience, as if they were enveloped by nature with their whole bodies.
The "warm residence" demonstrates the importance of utilizing local timber and manufacturing in accordance with the unique environmental characteristics of the land. It is expected to serve as a model case of how to utilize the unique resources of each region in a way unique to that region.
Reference Links
Hut Warming House (2025 Good Design Best 100 Award-winning Gallery)
