Japan – Design practice Laboratory for Explorative Architecture and Design (LEAD) has unveiled Yezo, a travel retreat that merges earth-friendly materials with spatial mapping.
Based in the northern mountain range of Hokkaido, Japan, Yezo has been designed to be sustainable as well as economical. According to Design Boom, the retreat's swirling roof was algorithmically optimised for fabrication from a single mould to minimise ecological impact and reduce manufacturing costs and delivery time.
LEAD's 'minimal, tectonic' design includes glue-laminated (GluLam) timber beams, a structurally engineered and eco-friendly alternative to solid-sawn timber, and locally sourced slate for the roof. The building's distinct shape and celebration of natural resources – stone, wood and light – aims to provide a luxurious space where visitors can find a private sanctuary within nature.
In our macrotrend Post-growth Society we explore the rise of Consumption Redesigned – how the design of buildings, public spaces and products are changing to align with new models of sustainability and circularity.