“From the outside in” is our company’s motto. When we design a house, we always think about achieving an intimate relationship with its garden. Not to mention designing a garden. This idea is rooted in Japanese culture. It is natural for us. There are many houses shut to the outside. We believe that “From the outside in” connects people to nature and enjoy their house more than ever.

Coincidentally, we had a chance to know the place where we felt our design motto. It is James Rose Center for landscape architectural research and design. James Rose was a landscape architect and, like other famous landscape architects, represented the modernism of American landscape architecture in the 20th Century. We sympathize with his design very much because he also thought about the importance of the relationship between inside and outside.

The James Rose Center, which was his studio/residence, materialized his thoughts. We can recognize his intent to connect outside and inside here and there. For instance, the buildings are very open to the gardens with many wide windows. The building floors are almost the same level as the gardens. As a result, we feel gardens close when we are in the buildings. Some scattered but connected architectural spaces enclose gardens. Or we can see the other way. Gardens enclose architecture.

“Some people think of the landscape as something out there, unrelated to what happens inside them… this is blindness.” by James Rose (the quote from the Center’s homepage)

We heard that Japanese culture and Zen Buddhism influenced his design. We felt some intimate sense from his space. Visit the Center when you have a chance.