By Sou Fujimoto, Mari Hashimoto, Yumiko Inukai, Kanae Hasegawa & Yoshikuni Shirai

The Shiroiya Hotel in Maebashi city has a long history, originating 300 years ago as the renowned Shiroiya Ryokan, carrying on as a business hotel until it closed down in 2008. Rescued from demolition for new condominiums by Hitoshi Tanaka, the local entrepreneur and founder of eyewear brand JINS had a bold plan for the hotel to revitalise his city. In collaboration with architect Sou Fujimoto, the iconic design has come to embody the future vision of Maebashi City itself. This book follows the transformation and art of Shiroiya Hotel, with its concrete atrium and grassy hill cabins, documenting the daring vision that defied economic rationality to create amazing architecture.