In his signature style, architect Kengo Kuma celebrates material in this innovative design for an exhibition and assembly space in Tochigi, Japan. The design attempts to create a sound building representing the image of the town through a careful use of material. The design was largely inspired by the inherent characteristics of the Ooya stone, namely its 'soil' and ‘porosity'. It also has holes similar to a sponge with the 'miso' being the largest of these. Owing to these openings, the stone surface is rather broken up in its texture. →