This was an architectural design project that suggests the possibilities of mass timber buildings through its use of mokuso (layered wood) walls with semi-fireproof qualities in a load-bearing wooden wall structure; buildingLandscape was involved in the development of these walls as well. A conventional frame is combined with thick LVL boards and an LVL board structure stands symbolically on the main elevation to the south. The 150mm-thick, layered LVL surface is exposed on the inside, and on the outside, a 30mm-thick LVL finish is applied to the LVL structural skeleton.

In this project, the old shophouses along the approach to Izumo Shrine were reborn with a new design through the CitySwitch machizukuri (community building) workshop. We strove to create a place for people to interact with one another by going one step beyond the conventional visitor's center and thinking about how the local community can welcome visitors to the area (omotenashi) — and then putting this into practice. LVL is used on a portion of the interior walls and burned cedar is used for the exterior.