“Now for something different“

From NPR.org:

Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto was born in 1945 to civilian parents in Beijing, China. His engineer father was part of an occupying workforce. When the family moved back to Japan in 1947, it was to a Tokyo that had largely been reduced to rubble in the last days of World War II.

Riken Yamamoto “aims to dignify, enhance and enrich the life of individuals — from children to elders — and their social connections,” reads the Pritzker Prize jury citation. It concludes: He reminds us that “in architecture, as in democracy, spaces must be created by the resolve of the people.”

One of Yamamoto’s most magical buildings might be the transparent firehouse he designed in Hiroshima. “The place is especially popular with children,” the architect allowed. “They like to see the fireman training.”

It’s covered in glass louvres, so you can see the firefighters’ activities from the outside.

The façade, walls and floors of the Hiroshima Nishi Fire Station are all constructed of glass.

A central atrium in the Hiroshima Nishi Fire Station spotlights the work and training of the firefighters. A lobby and terrace are open for public use.

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