Dialogue (Japan, Hakone)

In Hakone , this contemporary inn reinterprets elements of traditional Japanese architecture : a circular lounge, embedded like a horigotatsu , floats in the heart of an infinity pool that visually extends into Lake Ashi . The seats encircle a central fireplace, a modern echo of the irori , the family hearth around which domestic life took place. The circle, a symbol of harmony in Japanese culture, here interacts with the pure lines of the design and the surrounding volcanic nature. In the background, Lake Ashi , born from an eruption 3,000 years ago, remains a sacred Shinto site and an iconic place to observe Mount Fuji .