THE PLACE
KATSURA RIKYU / Kyoto, Japan (1660)
The quest for harmony has long fascinated "explorers" around the world, both through the arts and through time. As the art of defining our own living space, architecture certainly is one of the fields in which this task has been most thoroughly challenged.
The Imperial Villa and gardens of Katsura, constructed between 1616 and 1660, are amongst the finest examples of such a vision, in which interiors connect and extend to the surrounding landscapes. Nothing here is gold or marble, yet it shines in its apparent simplicity in every possible way.
You can find countless books and photos of the Villa, both online and printed, of course, but most of all, if you ever find yourself in Kyoto, there’s nothing like taking the time to walk through the gardens and experience a form of perfection that has so rarely taken such a tangible shape…
