Shenzhen Rehabilitation Center

The Shanghai office of Stefano Boeri Architetti, known for its work crafting vertical gardens and communities, will bring that sensibility to a rehabilitation facility in Shenzhen, slated for completion in 2023. The innovative complex will comprise a large volume divided into smaller ones, with the upper levels devised as cascading terraces. Dedicated to people with disabilities, the fully accessible building will highlight the therapeutic quality of nature at every turn. Indeed, green terraces, a roof garden that houses native plant species, and trees and plants will pervade the space, further connecting it to the Longhua district’s urban landscape.

Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu, Tokyo

Guests of Tokyo spa Ryogoku Yuya Edoyu are greeted by an eye-catching façade that references the delicate traditional curtains hanging outside a bathhouse entrance. Its aluminum panels have been punctured with an intricate seigaiha dye pattern (a nod to the Edo period, it recalls the blue waves of the ocean) that gradually disappears as it reaches the upper levels and is illuminated at night for a striking visual effect. “The contrast between the hard texture of the aluminum and the soft texture of the cloth gives a novel impression,” says partner Yumi Tsushima of local firm Kubo Tsushima Architects. Beyond its showstopping appearance, the exterior is functional, concealing the joints between this new annex and the existing building to provide a unified look for the large public bathhouse. Inside, the firm nods to the Edo era once again with a central luminous ceiling and baths that appear to float among the clouds.

Rendering courtesy of Stefano Boeri Architetti and photo by Koji Fujii/Nacasa and Partners

This article originally appeared in HD’s August 2020 issue.