Patagonia Project with Architect Yoshifumi Nakamura

In mid-February, we traveled to Patagonia, Chile with architect Yoshifumi Nakamura and his team (Lemming House: https://lemminghouse.com/).
KYOEI LUMBER has a long-time customer in Chile that purchases our YAKISUGI. The owner, Mr. Andres, recently acquired a large tract of land in Patagonia and plans to build around 20 small huts (HUTs) for guests from around the world. He asked Mr. Nakamura to design the first prototype cabin, and I joined the visit to explore the possibilities together.
Patagonia sits roughly “mirrored” to Japan across the equator with a 12-hour time difference, and spans a wide north–south range. Mornings dipped below 10 °C, while late afternoons rose to nearly 30 °C; in the dry season the air felt very crisp.
This trip was part site study, and we had hoped to at least produce a concept model. However, the initial parcel didn’t fully match Mr. Nakamura’s design vision, so we decided to select an alternative site and carry the concrete planning into the next round. On the final day, Mr. Andres introduced us to a winery and restaurant in Casablanca, west of Santiago. Our long “lunch” ran from 2 p.m. to just before 5 p.m.—the food was excellent, and the wine (label Tanagra) was, by Mr. Nakamura’s account, truly outstanding. Even I, not a wine expert, found it “undeniably delicious,” and brought a bottle home. In the warm weather his condition improved, and—half in jest—when I said, “Should we import this?” he replied, “Then I’ll design the wooden crate!” and sketched on a napkin.
Once the new location is finalized, the Patagonia Project will restart. We’re excited to continue.