A striking new office building in Hashima City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, has been completed by PERMANENT Co., Ltd. and Atelier Nagara Architectural Design Office, creating a unique architectural dialogue with the surrounding rural landscape. The 302-square-meter headquarters, finished in 2025, serves as the new base for a company engaged in civil engineering and real estate development.
Situated amidst calm rice fields and pastoral scenery, the building draws inspiration from its natural environment. The architects describe their first impression of the site as transformative, noting how rice ears swaying in mountain winds created a lasting impact on their design approach. Rather than simply blending into the surroundings, the team conceived the structure as an architectural "device" that would heighten awareness of the everyday beauty found in rural landscapes.
The building's most distinctive feature is its dramatic roofline, which rises boldly toward the east while its eaves descend close to the ground. A gentle undulation introduces subtle irregularities that capture reflected light, sky colors, and raindrops, bringing natural phenomena into sharp focus. This design strategy enhances the charm of the surroundings by creating opportunities for occupants and visitors to notice quiet beauty in ordinary scenes – from seasonal sun patterns to grass movements and water ripples in rice fields.
Inside, the spatial organization maintains strong connections with the exterior environment. The raised roof creates a tall entrance space and meeting areas that naturally draw the outdoors in. Courtyards and verandas positioned beneath the undulating roofline form intermediate spaces that mediate between interior and exterior environments. Small margins and resting places throughout the building incorporate stones and greenery, producing continuity with nature even while indoors.
Lead architects Kazuo Hara and Masaki Takeuchi from PERMANENT, along with Takuya Iwata from Atelier Nagara, designed the facility to support various activities including meetings, breaks, and moments for observing seasonal changes. Large openings on the south side combine with low eaves to balance sunlight control with an intimate garden relationship, allowing wind, light, and other natural elements to flow softly into the space.
The architects believe this project represents more than just functional workspace – it embodies their commitment to creating architecture rooted in community values and designed for long-term appreciation. By drawing out hidden value in the "everyday landscape" surrounding the site, the building serves as an appropriate headquarters for a company deeply connected to land and civil engineering work.
Through this innovative architectural approach, the designers hope to create lasting moments that make people aware of landscape beauty, allowing both residents and visitors to carry memories of "new everyday scenery" that remains authentically rooted in this particular place. The project demonstrates how contemporary architecture can enhance rather than compete with natural environments while serving practical business needs.
