ショウナイホテル スイデンテラス

Set as if floating among the rice fields of Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, SHONAI HOTEL SUIDEN TERRASSE was designed by Shigeru Ban. Its boat-like terraces extending over the water and rhythmic sequence of gabled roofs create a distinctive presence within the horizontal landscape of the Shonai Plain. Large expanses of glass gently connect inside and out, allowing the presence of the rice fields to be felt from almost anywhere in the hotel. The use of wood and paper tubes—a material emblematic of Ban’s architecture—brings warmth to the interiors and creates a quiet harmony with the surrounding landscape. During our stay, the shifting light, reflections on the water, and local food all became part of a continuous experience shaped by the architecture. Eating vegetables grown in Shonai on the terrace in the morning light revealed the particular richness of this place. The film begins above the rice fields, drawn as if by an unseen force through a large opening into the building. It then moves repeatedly between inside and out through openings along the side façades and gable ends, before finally emerging back over the fields. This continuous passage captures the openness of the architecture and the sense that its boundaries dissolve into the surrounding landscape.