Walls of neutrality

In the sauna room, strangers are placed in close proximity to each other, almost naked. It has been found that the distance between people can be close, individual, social or public, and that the degree of intimacy varies according to these distinctions. In terms of proximity, saunas should be a fairly intimate community, but public saunas in Japan are not yet at that stage.

However, if a space can be created that fits well with the unique closeness and mentality of the Japanese, a new community space can be created.
We want to create a social space (sociopetal) that is not intrusive or too intimate, but where people can experience the same space and have a shared awareness.

We looked for a way to resolve such a relationship through a wall that is both attached and detached. The verticality of the wall resonates with the forest, and its gaps draw the forest closer, while its discrete arrangement regulates the intimacy of the neighbourhood. Trying this in a PARK-PFI project, which is a project using public land, is also a way of thinking about new publics.