チチハル鶴之湯　（Hezhitang Onsen）

中国東北部、ロシアとの国境に近い辺境都市チチハルの郊外に、毎年多くの観光客が訪れる扎龍湿地という巨大な湿地帯がある。そのほとりに大規模温泉療養施設をつくった。 ここは大都市のように便利な場所ではないし、山あり谷ありという景色の変化もないし、温暖な優しい環境でもない。ここは極寒地で、冬にはマイナス40度にもなり、見渡す限り雪の白い地平線が広がる場所である。遠くから訪れた観光客は、初めは見たことのない壮大な景色に驚き感動するものの、移動中ずっとその景色に囲まれていると、次第に心が殺伐としてくる。そこで、そのお客を安心させるような力強さや包容力が必要と考えた。冬の真白い雪景色や、アシの黄緑色で覆われる夏でも、殺伐としたお客の心を包み込む、強い空間、強い建築をつくった。 We have designed Onsen facility in Qiqihaer, Heilongjiang province, China. The project is close to Russian border near the great wetland called Zhalong where may tourists come to see migrated white cranes. The project is in the severe environment in a snowfield stretched as far as the eye could see. Often the temperature here drops minus 40 degree Celsius. It is not a convenient metropolitan city, nor in topography of hills and valleys. Visitors are fascinated with the extraordinary nature in the beginning of travel, but the unusual scenery can make them feel desolate. We wanted to design the building to embrace visitors with feeling of security and relaxation. The powerful straighten volume of façade in black shows the presence in the white field to warmly welcome visitors. To create a sense of unity to the Zhalong wetland, we have created horizontal tube shape as main spaces with the windows facing to the outside. After the long travel, the visitors arrive to this facility under diffusions of consciousness because of infinity view of horizon. We are showing the scenery of wetland through the tube architecture instead of showing it off directly so that it provides human-scale impression and sense of harmony to the visitors. We truly hope that our design and architecture is honoured in the city and forever loved among people visit there.