“SANU 2nd Home “offers a monthly subscription service for villas with the concept of “having a second home in nature”. They provide villas across Japan, where visitors can enjoy various natural settings according to the seasons .“SANU 2nd Home Nasu 1st “ is the newest base to open their doors to provide this service.
In order to bring SANU’s philosophy of “Live with nature” into shape, Green Wise conducted surveys across the field and planned our construction process carefully to leave as little impact on the environment as possible.
We designed the site to maximise the experience of nature for their users, who will mostly be urban dwellers. We used the curve of the parking lot arranged along an arc to create a sense of entering into the forest, we also replanted and planted new trees to envelop the cabins in foliage. Additionally, we planned for abundant greenery to be visible from indoors.
Aiming for the conservation and regeneration of the forest
Upon conducting a local tree survey, we discovered that the secondary forest is predominantly composed of deciduous broad-leaved trees such as Konara oak, chestnut, and Kunugi oak, which have traditionally been used as firewood and charcoal material. For the new plantings of tall trees, we selected species already prevalent in the existing forest, including Konara oak, Yamazakura, and Yamamomiji. Additionally, we transplanted seven Yamatsutsuji trees within the site, and after temporarily nurturing 18 more, we replanted them to harmonise with the natural environment of the location.
We carefully selected and preserved trees that represent the characteristics of the existing natural environment. During the tree removal process, we used forestry grapples to avoid damaging the existing trees, allowing us to retain over 60% more trees than originally planned. Some of the trees that had to be cut down were processed into wood chips and utilised on the site’s walking paths. Additionally, we selected certain boulders unearthed during excavation and repurposed them as landscape stones and retaining walls, enhancing the site’s aesthetics.
The landscape of “SANU 2nd Home Nasu 1st” tells the story of on-site circulation through the reuse of natural resources and materials, such as trees and stones.
《Information》
Sanu Inc.
SANU 2nd Home Nasu 1st
Location:Nasu Town, Nasu District, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan
Landscape design and construction: Green Wise Co., Ltd.
Area:2,985㎡
Usage:5 accommodation buildings
Completion date:November 2023