Inagawa Cemetery Chapel and Visitor Centre – David Chipperfield Architects

Nestled in the steep hillside of the Hokusetsu Mountain Range, the Inagawa Cemetery Chapel represents London-based architect David Chipperfield's (born 1953) latest architectural work realized in Japan. Conceived as a contemporary place for prayer, the chapel and its accompanying visitor center are constructed of pink-tinted concrete and arranged around a central courtyard. With gently sloping edges and little adornment, the building seems to emerge as an extension of the land around it while simultaneously providing a distinct space in which visitors can step away from the outside world.

This volume presents the building through the lens of Japanese photographer Keiko Sasaoka's camera. Over the course of four seasons, Sasaoka represents the visitor's experience of the architecture through time and space, in constant dialogue with the surrounding landscape. The photography is supplemented with an essay by Chipperfield and various texts detailing the design and construction process.