We converted an icehouse (“himuro” in Japanese) that stored ice made at the former Fuji Ice Factory next door (which we renovated into office in 2015) into a gallery. The gallery has been designed for exhibitions (e.g. an exhibition of new works of locally produced textiles) and free use by artists staying under artist-in-residence programs.

▼画廊入口，旁边是原富士制冰厂，gallery entrance，next door is the former Fuji Ice Factory © Masashige Akeda

▼入口近景，close shot of the entrance © Masashige Akeda

建筑师计划在一层设置一段隧道空间，截面呈抛物线形。隧道的平面如同海星一样，向四个方向伸出。该隧道由FRP纤维增强塑料制成，然而由于没有公司能生产这种形状的结构，设计师决定亲自上阵。团队使用胶合板和泡沫板制作模具，涂上方便剥离的涂层并置入玻璃纤维板，最后向模具里注入塑料树脂，整个过程历时三个月。隧道将使用者的运动流线具象化，创造出在富士山中的溪水间漫步的感觉。

We came up with a tunnel-like passage with catenary curves in a cross-sectional view and a starfish-like (i.e. four radiated arms) figure on a floor plan, which is built with FRP (fiber reinforced plastic). Unfortunately, we could not find a company that could produce a shape like this, so we decided to create it by ourselves. We made a mold with plywood and styrofoam, applied coating for exfoliation, placed a glass fiber sheet, and applied plastic resin. It took about three months to complete. This FRP tunnel is the visualization of human movement and, at the same time, gives you a feeling as if you are walking through the river-bed water of Mt. Fuji.

▼装置俯视，四个海星般发散的支撑臂，top view of the installation，four starfish-like radiated arms © Masashige Akeda

▼装置外观，installation appearance © Masashige Akeda