KENGO
KUMA
WAREIWA
Looking at survival through a cultural lens, the Japanese concept of mono no aware refers to an awareness of the fleeting nature of beauty, where impermanence becomes a form of survival. This condition informs how buildings are constructed and how matter is understood. The black African granite, with its dense and homogeneous texture, is arranged in rough-cut elements, recalling its extraction from the quarry. These fragments form a lantern where matter and aperture alternate, allowing light to pass through irregular gaps. The surface remains uneven, and the cracks are activated by light, making impermanence visible through material and form.