island of Hokkaido, in northern Japan. On a plain surrounded by mountain ranges and a dense forest of beech trees and shrubs, the building comprises two superposed cubes, a rectangular artificial lake, and a long L-shaped wall enclosing the complex.

The approach route follows the wall, which is tall and obstructs the field of view, so the existence of the lake can only be ascertained by a faint murmuring sound, until one walks further and past the opening that pierces the end of the wall and finally comes across the body of water for the first time. This approach route ends at the pavilion of access, a glazed and luminous cube with four concrete crosses. Descending the dark, curving stairs one reaches the worship hall, which opens up to the landscape through a large window. Beyond the continuity of the black granite-paved floor, the limit between interior and exterior is further blurred by the presence of the cross of the altar over the water, extending the sacred space to the landscape and fusing the spiritual experience of the faithful with nature...[+]