Sunny Hills by Kengo Kuma

DATE

09.12.2025

Conceived for a Taiwanese brand of pineapple cakes, the building becomes an urban icon thanks to its interlaced wooden structural envelope. This three-dimensional lattice, inspired by the traditional jiigoku-gumi system, breaks the rigidity of the volume and creates a soft transition between interior and exterior, filtering light and offering a warm presence in the heart of Tokyo.

Inside, the experience continues with a spatiality where wood envelops everything, providing a sense of calm and hospitality closely tied to Japanese tradition. Kuma uses the structure as both language and atmosphere: it not only supports the building but defines its identity. The commercial space is conceived almost like a domestic living room, avoiding the usual aesthetic of luxury retail and opting instead for a human scale that invites pause and the enjoyment of the handcrafted product.

One of the most admired aspects of the project is its ability to demonstrate that a commercial building can become a meaningful architectural work without resorting to monumentality. Sunny Hills is both humble and sophisticated: it combines traditional techniques, contemporary fabrication, and environmentally conscious design. Its porous façade reduces the need for artificial lighting during the day and allows partial natural ventilation, integrating sustainability with material poetics.

This building is also a key stop on the MBA MArch Advanced in Architecture, Design and Business Administration trip to Japan, where students visit to understand Kuma’s philosophy firsthand. The visit offers an opportunity to analyse how a coherent design concept can be translated into a product, a brand experience, and a business model. Sunny Hills thus becomes a living lesson on how architecture can generate cultural, identity-driven, and commercial value all at once.

MARCH VALENCIA | ARQUITECTURA Y DISEÑO

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