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The main gate of Katsura Imperial Villa in Japan, a 17th-century sukiya-style structure using raw natural materials to create an appearance of rustic fragility masking underlying strength.
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This is the main gate of the Katsura Imperial Villa in Japan (circa 17th century). It belongs to the sukiya style, which is characterized by raw materials and a lack of decoration. The aim of sukiya is to create the outward appearance of fragility and rusticity — a shack or hut thrown together quickly with the natural materials at hand. However, the structure’s outward appearance must belie strength and durability. This counterintuitive approach to design is meant to produce spaces that very natural and unintentional.