Saitama – delicate touch can be seen in the minimalist design of the Saitama Agriculture and Forest Hall in this city of East Japan.
The simple arrangement of slim, small windows brings the facade of the building in the Uurawa station of the city of Saitama Harmonie. The agricultural and forest hall was designed by the renowned architect Kiyoshi Seike (1918-2005), which was also famous for its innovative residential architecture and was completed in December 1962. Even more than 60 years later, her unique character remains unabated.
The reinforced concrete structure has four floors above the floor and one below, with a pilot design on the first floor creating an open space as if the building in the middle of the air is increased by stable columns that are about 13 meters apart. A special cylindrical structure in front of the main entrance houses a spiral staircase that leads to the basement, and gives the facility a unique note that includes a modernist architectural design that emphasizes functionality and eliminates the ornaments.
After the relegation of the stairs after permission, this reporter enabled a room with jumping stones and gravel, which made me feel a fusion of modernist architecture and traditional Japanese aesthetics. According to the representative of the hall, the gravel produces noises in the course of the gravel, so that it serves as a security measure during the night.
(Japanese original by Akihiro Ogomori, photo and video department)
* * *
The Japanese version of this article was originally published on September 11, 2022.
* * *
This series examines yesterday's Japanese architectural miracles and secrets. Read more articles from Retro Japan here.
