The Spa in Nature ‘Colobockle Nest’ Designed by Kyushu University Student Team is Completed

Kyushu University’s student team won the first prize of the 7th LIXIL international Student Architectural Competition “Spa in the Nature” in April 2017.  The proposed work ”Colobockle Nest” is a small bath facility designed in the image of a pit-dwelling under a large butterbur leaf, which is associated with the dwarf folklore of Hokkaido.  The concept is to experience the pure nature in the open-air bath by burning firewood beneath the bathtub to heat up water and by lying down in a comfortable hot water under the leaf-shaped roof.  
After the competition, the group of students had worked on detail design and construction supervision on site at Taiki-cho, Hokkaido, toward the completion in March 2018.  The Spa is surrounded by different beautiful views of four seasons such as white snow covering the ground in winter, and bright green grass in summer. The Spa eventually merged with the landscape.
Soaking in the hot bath in a relaxed manner and looking up the sky above in the cosy sheltered space under the leaf, one can enjoy the ultimate feeling of being in the great nature.

Team members:
Yuki Endo, Wataru Kashima
Kazuhiro Taniguchi
Takahisa Nishimura
Kento Hanada
Mitsuki Okumura (Master course
GS Human Environment Studies)
Daiki Azuma, Mei Ootani
Takumi Nohara (Dept. of Architecture, School of Engineering)

Advisor:
Assoc. Prof. Kaoru Suehiro (Faculty of Human Environment Studies)

Detail Design Support:
Kengo Kuma and Associates