Architecture

October 14, 2024

Snøhetta Designs Cozy Minimalist Refuge for Hikers in the Pyrenees

Architecture firm Snøhetta will be helping hikers in the heart of the Pyrenees National Park rest and recharge thanks to a new refuge. Located along the Cirque de Barroude natural site, it replaces the Barroude mountain refuge that was destroyed a decade ago in an accidental fire. The new refuge, in keeping with the firm's environmental ethos, will have a minimal footprint and incorporate the park's natural flora and fauna.

Read Article

September 30, 2024

Japanese Garden Displays Its Own Giant Moon Shrouded in Mist During Moon Festival in Tokyo

The garden at the Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo is widely regarded as one of the city’s best, featuring a three-tiered pagoda, various stone monuments, waterfalls, and serene ponds. Each season, the hotel enhances the experiences of visitors with unique attractions, including firefly watching in the summer, cherry blossoms in the spring, and plum blossoms in the winter. However, the hotel’s most well-known attraction is its Sea of Clouds.

Read Article

September 5, 2024

How One Japanese Mayor Defied Naysayers and Built a Floodgate That Then Saved His Village From a Tsunami

Fudai is a 2,600-person village in northeastern Japan. Like many similar towns, it relies on fishing and agriculture. But despite its unassuming appearance, Fudai made international headlines following the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan. The town was pretty much left unscathed, and it was all thanks to one man—Kotoku Wamura, who died several years before the tragedy. Wamura was the mayor of Fudai from 1945 to 1987.

Read Article

August 28, 2024

How One Japanese Company Has Survived For 1,400 Years

Japan is home to some of the longest-running businesses in the world. But none have run longer than Kongō Gumi. This construction company was founded in 578 CE. At the time, Japan's Prince Shōtoku was looking to build a Buddhist temple, but as the country was mainly Shinto, there were no carpenters with that skill set. So, he called upon miyadaiku (carpenters with training in building Buddhist temples) from a Buddhist kingdom that is now Korea.

Read Article

My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.