Hoshino Chapel or Uchimura Kanzo Memorial Stone Church in Karuizawa, Japan by San Diego architect Kendrick Bangs Kellogg (1988).
I went to Japan for a couple weeks. This is my first report back. A post about a hometown guy who recently passed seems like a good way to start it off.
The goal of this project was to integrate the architecture into the natural surrounding. In addition to the use of local stone, the building's form was designed to blend in with the landscape and topography. As the church describes it, "Organic architecture aims to be in harmony with nature." Kellogg walked the area and was "...inspired by the land itself, creating a unique architecture that deeply resonates with the four seasons of Karuizawa and the philosophy of Kanzo Uchimura."
Source: Stone Church
It's a very popular wedding venue. Some tout it as the "most popular" in Japan. After a three hour Shinkansen train journey from Tokyo, I almost didn't get to see the it. Luckily, the wedding was over in an hour so it gave me time to walk down the hill to a nice creekside bakery.
Karuizawa, in the Nagano prefecture is a mountain resort town that is popular in the summer for cooler temperatures and for skiing in the winter. There's a surprising amount of good modern architecture in the area. I was able to visit a few on my day trip to the tony town.
John Vugrin, a frequent Kellogg collaborator, spent nearly half a year in Japan overseeing the construction of the chapel. The San Diego artist's wood work is also prominently displayed in the project. In addition to the doors, there are the pews and an offering chest. Vurgin studied under Jack Rogers Hopkins at San Diego State, which certainly had an influence on him stylistically.
