Overall Concept ; Designing the In-betweens

Upon embarking on this project, Yamashita not only studied the history, nature and vegetation of Amami, but also conducted an extensive survey of the existing accommodation facilities on the island. Through the process, he arrived at the conclusion that affair of designing in and for Amami is a matter of “designing the in-betweens.”

The concept can be broken down into five aspects.

1. Achieving the sense of self liberation in between the vast sky and the sea.
2. Restoring the local indigenous vegetation which has deteriorated, placed in between nature and human activity
3. Combining the sense of tradition and newness together in between traditional and new architecture
4. Developing a material for architecture unique to Amami in between methods of traditional industries and new materials.
5. Providing a wide variety of accommodation facilities and food services in between times, before Amami Islands is formally enlisted as a UNESCO natural heritage site.

Concept No.1

Achieving the sense of self liberation in between the vast sky and the sea

Instead of building massive structures, intimately scaled villas (3 Pool Villas with each a private pool and 10 semi-detatched style 2-key Villas) were laid out along with a restaurant + administration building, so that the guests could fully enjoy the spaciousness and relaxing atmosphere of Amami.

The roofs of each structure have slits and openings that let light flow from various directions, and the spaces in between the villas allows the sense of liberation that the vast sky and the blue sea offers, to be relished anywhere on the premises.