It just seems to come from Miyazaki’s imagination. In Japan, architect Issei Suma and his mother imagined a wooden mini-village in the heart of the mountains where the elderly or disabled are welcome. An enchanting and unified project.
Nestled in the region of Shizuoka Prefecture, on the Pacific coast and overlooked by the majestic Mount Fuji, the five wooden tipi-shaped houses blend in perfectly with the mountainous landscape. The Jikka project, which could be translated as ‘parental home’, was conceived by two women in their sixties. Nobuko, the mother of architect Issei Suma, is a social worker, Sachiko is a cook. Together they worked for ten years in Tokyo, preparing and delivering meals to the elderly. Afraid of becoming a burden to their loved ones as they got older, they dreamed of building a space where they could live comfortably during their old age.
But the sociable nature of the two women forced them to move forward by designing a welcoming place for the entire community. The project in harmony with nature and their values brings together a restaurant, a house, a vegetable garden but also accommodation for the elderly or disabled. A spiral pool accessible to wheelchairs allows residents to relax in a poetic and relaxing environment. The municipality can also make an appointment for nursing.
The ultra-spacious kitchen for their part allows them to offer a meal delivery service for the elderly. For example, Nobuko spends her days baking cakes and bread, while Fujioka spends her time preparing meals. The restaurant, meanwhile, is open to the public for lunch and tea, the magazine said. Milk†
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