Fuji Crypt
FUJI CRYPT
Mount Fuji, Japan
Situated at the foot of Mt. Fuji in Japan, this mausoleum was designed to enhance the quiet contemplation of familial continuity and mortality, and respect for family members who have already passed.
Simple stonework and the presence of water evokes serenity and timelessness. The crypt’s rear wall is tilted to reflect the sky; the table is also an altar allowing entry to the vault below. Flowers are floated on the altar table with water collected from the rain. The side walls’ perspective suggests direction and intimate enclosure.
Designing the crypt was a very personal experience for the architect. A member of the family, he was in a sense designing his own future, anticipating as well as recalling. Contemplation of the crypt required examination of his own soul. The crypt is a promise as well as a commemoration, a site of reunion as well as separation.
