This project involves the design of a new columbarium at Shodaiji Temple in Edogawa, Tokyo, which celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2016. The 20th-generation head priest, committed to redefining the temple’s role in modern society as a space open to Buddhist teachings, invited us to explore a new form of memorial architecture.

Researching existing columbariums revealed two common formats: one with shelf-like spaces where visitors can face the remains directly, and another where remains are mechanically delivered to a prayer room. While both reflect social change and evolving values, the former often lacks privacy, and the latter can feel impersonal due to the mechanical process.

We asked: what are we truly facing in moments of remembrance? At a grave, the headstone acts as a symbolic focus, with the urn and remains below. We realized what matters is not physical distance but creating a space where small groups can stay peacefully, face a clear object of prayer, and sense the presence of the deceased. What’s essential is the ability to feel a one-on-one connection.

The semi-basement site initially housed rows of storage shelves. The project began by preserving them while transforming the front space into a place for prayer. Rather than simply displaying or hiding the remains, we aimed to create a boundary that gently separates yet invites focus. Glass, offering both transparency and diffusion, became our material of choice, and we began experimenting with its expressive potential.

Throughout the process, we explored the boundary between the artificial and natural, the intentional and accidental. Rather than design a fixed form, we arranged thin glass rods and melted them at high temperatures, letting the shape emerge naturally. To avoid rigid centrality, we chose an ellipsoid form with multiple centers, ultimately refined through intuitive judgment for harmony and calm.

The prayer area was shaped like a fan, gently guiding six to eight visitors to face the center. Surrounded by wood, the space was carefully detailed—grain direction, spacing, and joints—all considered individually to create warmth and intimacy. We minimized design elements to enhance focus. Objects like the water basin, incense holder, and vase were custom-designed to feel inherently part of the space. The floor features a hand-chiseled finish, offering tactile texture underfoot.

The glass focal object is edge-lit to emit a soft glow. Its illumination is controlled by programmed fades and timers, not simple switches, adding a subtle sense of time to the experience of remembrance.