HDHP APPOINTS PRITZKER PRIZE-WINNING ARCHITECT RYUE NISHIZAWA FOR ANTICIPATED FOLLOW-UP TO SHISHI-IWA HOUSE

DHP, a social enterprise sponsored by HDH Capital Management, is pleased to announce the appointment of Pritzker Prize-winning architect Ryue Nishizawa for its second Shishi-Iwa House project, set to open in 2021. Similar to the first retreat designed by fellow master architect Shigeru Ban, the project aims to provide guests a sanctuary to reconnect with families and friends and to inspire intellectual creativity.  Shishi-Iwa House by Ryue Nishizawa will be a seminal architectural masterpiece, paying homage to traditional Japanese residential architecture based on the shaku-kan grid system, hinoki cypress wood and garden courtyards. Nishizawa will be responsible for both architecture and interiors, allowing a coherent and integrated approach to the design.

With a focus on sustainability and human scale, the retreat is designed as a cluster of 10 interconnected pavilions using locally-sourced hinoki cypress as the main building material. Hinoki cypress is considered a “sacred” wood in Japan as it has been used for centuries to build shrines, temples and palaces given its durability and the aromatic scents. The traditional shaku-kan grid system employs an efficient and environmentally friendly construction methodology, yielding minimal waste and mostly pre-fabricate offsite before installing onsite.

The retreat will be exclusive with only 8 guest rooms in various sizes to accommodate both single travelers and families. Common facilities will include a reception and library area, shared living rooms and kitchenettes, a tea house, a bath house and a catering kitchen. The unusual building architecture creates different levels of privacies to promote communal sharing of spaces among guests.

Located on the same street as the first property in Karuizawa, Japan, Shishi-Iwa House by Ryue Nishizawa and its close proximity to the Shigeru Ban-designed property will allow guests to share communal areas, and enjoy the two projects by renowned Japanese architects side by side. Launched in February 2019, Shishi-Iwa House by Shigeru Ban opened its door as a restorative retreat that reinforces the relationship between nature, architecture and human connection.