In 2008, the internationally renowned photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto, in collaboration with the architect Tomoyuki Sakakida, established the New Material Research Laboratory. The architectural firm is dedicated to the exploration and use of traditional building materials and techniques in contemporary settings. Their research led to their compilation of an extensive archive of historic ­building elements salvaged from earlier temples and gardens. Even in pre-modern times, the reuse of old materials with their historical patina was part of Japanese building practice.

A remarkable building complex now carries on this practise, in what is Sugimoto’s first large-scale architectural ­project. The Enoura Observatory enjoys an impressive location in the city of Odawara overlooking Sagami Bay, in the midst of a former citrus plantation. (Murielle Hladik)