Inujima Retreat Campus
Island Revitalization
Academic Work | Advanced Design Studio led by Kazuyo Sejima/ SANAA. June 2022 | Group work: Ceren Pehlivan, Fran Jalsovec

During my studies, I was fortunate to have been chosen, based on merit, to participate in the Advanced Architectural Design Studio led by Kazuyo Sejima at Politecnico Di Milano, where we worked on a distinctive project to revitalize the abandoned island of Inujima in Japan. Inujima, a small island in the Seto Naikai inland sea, has become a hub for contemporary art, particularly during the Setouchi Triennale Modern Art Festival. Despite its size allowing for a 1 to 2-hour exploration on foot, Inujima's history includes past industries like copper refining and stone quarrying, which once supported a population of 5000. With only around 50 elderly residents, the island's development is limited. Its landscape, with gentle hills and old quarry ponds, offers a unique charm.

Taking advantage of the island's isolation, we suggested a program for The Inujima Retreat Campus incorporating several site-specific facilities. A floating Therapy Center was located on the shoreline of one of the peninsulas, designed with a typology that resembles traditional, Japanese fisherman's villages. An Open-Air Living Room was situated near an old quarry, featuring a roof with a dynamic and organic shape inspired by the surrounding topography.

Receiving guidance from one of the most significant architects worldwide gave us a new perspective on how the specific topography and characteristics of the site, can profoundly influence architectural form, expression, and atmosphere.