A Western-style building loved as a symbol of Mt. Rokko
A breath of fresh air from Michele De Lucchi

Michele De Lucchi, who was in charge of the restoration of the old Rokkosan Silence Resort building and the planning and design of the entire project, is a world-famous architect representing Italy. He joined the design studio ``Alchimia'' and later became a main member of the designer group ``Memphis,'' which sparked a major design movement. He brought to the world one after another original ideas that symbolized postmodernism. He releases products such as furniture and lighting from famous Italian and international brands, and at the same time is involved in important architectural projects around the world, ranging from residences to cultural facilities.

``Until the 1930s, a single architect not only designed the building, but also designed everything from tableware to cutlery.Currently, there is a division of labor between the architect, interior designer, and product designer. There was no longer anyone to design all the projects and concepts for the company.” De Lucchi describes himself as ``the last generation of architects to learn from masters who designed everything from a total perspective, right down to the furniture.'' "An architect is someone who creates rules that give order to people's lives. Space, nature, and buildings in nature. A consistent concept is applied to everything surrounding buildings, which are tools that make people's lives comfortable. I think you should.”

In recent years, De Lucchi has focused his passion on restoring historic buildings, like the Rokkosan Silence Resort. "My passion for restoring historic buildings comes from my father, who loved and collected art. It starts with understanding where to start and how to proceed. Restoration is a very complex process. I have a lot of problems at work." When I first visited Mt. Rokko, Junpachi Ikeda, CEO of Hakko Car Group, the owner of Mt. Rokko Silence Resort, took me to the old building and asked for my impressions. His answer was, ``Wouldn't it be better to return it to its original form?''

“I heard that in Japan there is a system called Shikinen Sengu where shrines are rebuilt once every few decades, but the concept of this restoration is completely different from that.We carefully used old scrap materials and reinforced them. "We continued to add things as we went along," says De Lucchi. ``The building, which had been closed for many years, was in a terrible condition, and it was a pitiful situation.We started by removing the useless plaster that covered the walls.'' By removing the carpet that had once been laid down, making use of the original wooden floor that came out from underneath, and restoring the same floor, all of the floors in the old building now have the warm wooden floors that were original to the building. .

The elegant stained glass on the ceiling of the cafeteria on the second floor had been completely covered by the low ceiling due to repeated renovations, and even its existence was hidden. This restoration work will restore the building to its original appearance in 1929, making full use of the half-timbered beams. ``It was a very beautiful building, so I think the beauty was brought back to life by eliminating unnecessary things that were added later.If Mr. Masaharu Furuzuka, who designed it, saw this, I'm sure he would be happy.'' British architecture, like the British cars that Mr. Ikeda handles, has its own unique identity.As an Italian, I restore and revive British buildings that were built by Japanese architects. "Cultures are merging, and a new awareness and value of beauty is being born," says De Lucchi.

``I spoke to many people, including Japanese architects, about the architecture of Rokkosan Silence Resort.When I met Michele, I was surprised that I didn't hear a single word about the architecture itself.His philosophy on architecture When I heard him, I was drawn in and impressed by what architecture was all about. I immediately decided that I had no choice but to leave it to him," says Ikeda, CEO of Hakko Car Group, owner of Rokkosan Silence Resort. It's Junpachi. “There were some business operators who thought it would be cheaper to demolish and rebuild the building, which was a landmark of Mt. Rokko.However, this place should never be demolished.This place should be made into a symbol of the revival of Mt.Rokko as a wonderful resort. That's what I thought."

There was a plan to make a large hotel with 200 to 300 rooms and aim to make a profit, but Ikeda decided to utilize the restored historic building by Michele De Lucchi as an entrance function, creating a natural space that would blend in with the forest of Mt. Rokko. I chose the path to a quiet resort that would be integrated with the rest of the world. ``There are high-quality resort areas such as Hakone, Karuizawa, and Nasu from Tokyo.However, in Kansai, there are resorts where you can enjoy the best scenery on a drive, eat delicious food, drink high-quality wine, and spend a relaxing night. There are surprisingly few."

A large circle that exists within nature and contains nature.
Sustainable hotel using wood from Mt. Rokko and underground heat

De Lucchi, who was impressed by the deep and great nature of Mt. Rokko, initially came up with the idea of ​​creating villas scattered throughout this attractive natural landscape, as if resembling a village, and linking them together. I envisioned it. “However, I started to think that this method would cause each building to fall apart. At that point, I came up with the idea of ​​a large ring. I wanted to create a large ring that was both surrounded by nature and contained nature.” . The idea for this ring hotel came to him one day while he and Ikeda were strolling through the forest on the premises. "I was worried that people would say I got my inspiration from the Apple Center building in California. But I quickly realized that I don't care what other people say. I should follow my instincts." .

De Lucchi continues. ``Mr. Ikeda was particular about building a building that would blend in with the forest.The style I originally proposed, where cottages were scattered in a grove of trees, would be difficult to manage because of how to access the cottages.In the forest. Ikeda-san and I were walking and talking, and out of nowhere, the idea for the ring came to us." A low-rise building that seems to be buried in the forest. You can choose a view of the forest on the mountain side or overlooking the sea. It's not a towering skyscraper, but a standing ring that sinks into the forest.

Guests who first set foot in the reception area of ​​the old building will be moved from the old building to the accommodation area in the forest. Two floors, 60 rooms. Each room has a terrace, and it is a wooden structure made from pine wood harvested from Mt. Rokko, and the forest is surrounded by a ring with a diameter of 50 meters. "Create a basic building with thick walls. This is eco-friendly. With the ring shape, there is only one wall. Since everything is connected, heating and cooling are efficient. Solar systems built on the ground, which have been seen in Japan in recent years, reduce garbage. It's not beautiful or eco-friendly at all.If you're an architect, you'll have to think about how to utilize underground heat.If you dig 14 meters underground, the temperature stays at XNUMX degrees Celsius all year round.

Phase 2019 in 2025 will be the opening of a grill restaurant overlooking the restored old building and panoramic views of Kobe Port, while Phase XNUMX will be a cafe with a landscape reminiscent of an Impressionist painting. It is scheduled to be completed next year. ``Deep greenery, shrubbery, and a rich variety of vegetation.I didn't have anything in mind, but the building will be built on the shore of a pond, giving off a world reminiscent of an Impressionist painting.'' After that, the aforementioned Ring Hotel was completed in Phase XNUMX. The final stage, Phase XNUMX, is scheduled to include a chapel for weddings and a hall that can host small concerts by XNUMX, when the Expo will be held in Osaka. "The building materials are all made of wood to blend in with the surrounding nature. The foundation is cement-based, but we avoid using materials that cannot be returned to nature as much as possible. Wood is the oldest and newest building material. We use the cut trees to make use of them as building materials and then give them away to the environment.The days when plastic materials were the norm in Memphis are now a thing of the past."

“Did you know about the valley resort created by Italy's Arte Sella Association? Sculptures made of wood are dotted around nature. At Rokkosan Silence Resort, There is also a plan for artists from all over the world to create sculptures using materials that decay and return to nature, and to place them in nature.It is sure to attract not only nature lovers but also people with a passion for art. is". Art route in Italy's Sella Valley, where contemporary sculptures and artworks made of organic materials such as trees, stones and leaves exist, evolve and are created with the intention of eventually returning to a beautiful natural environment. Michele De Lucchi superimposes the forest landscape of Mt. Rokko Silence Resort on the image of ``Alte Natura''. “The buildings that have existed here since 1929 as living proof of Mt. Rokko will continue to be passed down through generations through restoration and continue to welcome people. With a new sensibility, we intend to make it environmentally friendly and sustainable."

Rokkosan Silence Resort
https://rokkosansilence-resort.com/

→Click here for the energy and presence of Mt. Rokko (Part 1)