Title: Katsura Imperial Villa
Date: Early-17th century
Location: Kyoto, Japan
Materials: Wood, bamboo, clay, and landscape
Description: The Katsura Imperial Villa was home to Prince Toshihito and Prince Toshitada during the Tokugawa period. The villa sits on the bank of the Katsura river and was heavily influenced by the surrounding natural scenery. The design of the building itself is minimal, using wood and bamboo to create a structure that is simultaneously linear and organic. The shape of the building is asymmetrical, suggesting the building was designed around the landscape, rather than the other way around. All these features are meant to complement the scenery, with features like the dark wood framing even enhancing the foliage in autumn. The real gem of this site is the surrounding gardens and lakes, with bridges and paths winding through the lush scenery.
References:
Image reference: John Chang, “Katsura Imperial Villa in Spring”. 22 Apr. 2008, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Katsura_Imperial_Villa_in_Spring.jpg
Information reference: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Katsura Imperial Villa”. 13 Dec. 2016, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Katsura-Imperial-Villa. Accessed 4 October 2021.
