Sumu Yakushima is a co-operative housing project that supports humans and nature

[Celerity]

https://www.dezeen.com/2022/12/28/sumu-yakashima-co-operative-housing-tsukasa-ono/












Architect Tsukasa Ono designed this housing project on Japan's Yakushima island to have a positive impact on its natural setting, using a "regenerative" approach to improve the soil by promoting the growth of mycelium and bacteria. Sumu Yakushima is a community created by eight co-owners and situated on a hillside site forming part of a farm with views towards the sea.











Tsukasa Ono told Dezeen that he and two friends developed the idea for the project in 2020 while Tokyo was in lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic. "We were temporarily living at my friend Yuki Imamura's hotel on Yakushima island," Ono recalled. "We started to make a concept for a small project but it was so exciting that the project kept getting bigger so we accepted some more good friends to join us."













Ono is the only architect in the community and was responsible for the design concept. Other members have different skills, including as project managers, financial consultants, environmental consultants and energy specialists. "We talked a lot about ideas and discussed many times what our future life here would be like." Ono explained. "I think this project solves many aspects of today's problems on Earth."









The land the community is built on is owned by one of the members. The site and layout of the buildings were determined following a thorough appraisal of existing tree positions, water flow and other environmental factors. The project seeks to minimise its impact on the land and uses a principle that Ono calls "regenerative architecture" to reframe the relationship between human habitation and nature.

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[markie]

1. ah, Yes!