在日本神奈川縣小田原巿，正面相模灣、背對箱根外輪山的山坡上，有一座稱為「江之浦測候所」的建築物。
「測候所」源自漢語，意思是觀察天文氣象的場所。觀察雨水、風向、日照，從而制定生活農事的時機，是人類其中一項最古老的科學活動。隨著技術發展，曾經威脅人類生存的氣候問題變得更容易預測、應對，測候所也逐漸無人化，甚至被廢止，變成國境邊界上的廢墟。
然而，江之浦測候所並不是真正的測候所。它是由藝術家／攝影師／古物收藏家／建築師杉本博司設立的「新素研」設計的一家藝術館。
一家藝術館，為什麼使用測候所這個名字？
新素研全名是「新素材研究所」，是杉本博司與建築師榊田倫之於2008年共同設立的設計事務所。事務所圍繞著「古即是新」（Old is New）這個概念，從古老的材料和技法中獲得全新的建築表現方式。新素研相信他們的設計能夠聯繫過去和現在的時代，並且延伸至未來。
《Old is New》這本書整理了新素研十年來的作品和概念。在書的開首，說明了杉本博司之所以開始思考建築設計，源自於他設展的經驗。他在世界各地的藝術館展示攝影和裝置作品時，發覺建築師在空間裡留下的痕跡也非常強烈，甚至影響了作品意念的傳達。因此，他開始以自己的作品為中心，構想最適合放置它們的空間。
杉本博司希望做到的，是設計出適切、Appropriate的空間。感到空間適切時，日本人會用「辨明」（見分ける，miwakeru）這個詞語來形容。「雖然被稱為攝影家，但我一直在處理水、空氣，還有光線。建築也是類似的藝術。」杉本博司這樣說。
《Old is New》中集中討論了6種素材技法，包括石、木、牆、屋根（屋頂）、窗户和庭園。對新素研來說，這些素材是古老的，但同時蘊含著巨大的創新能量。
以石頭來說，古日本以一種稱為「野面積み」（nozurazumi）的技巧建設城廓。石工職人利用自然、未經打磨的當地產出石頭堆積成石牆。聆聽不同石頭的聲音後，職人利用石頭不規則的表面創造出近乎不可能的平衡。在江之浦測候所中，就有一段從古時保留下來的城廓。
在這種古老技法的基礎上，新素研巧妙地在空間設計中加入不經打磨的、天然的巨大石塊。例如位於加州的茶室「遠山居」，就以石頭創造出茶室外的景觀。借取北美遼闊天空的一角，與庭院的古石、隨季節改變顏色的楓樹，共同構成一幅流動的風景畫。
2017年開幕的江之浦測候所，是杉本博司構想多年的複合式作品。區域內設置了茶室、庭園、神社、石舞台、羅馬圓形劇場。沿著坡度一路向上走，就來到如同清水寺般懸空設計，以檜木結構架高後鋪上玻璃地板，完全未使用任何釘子的光學玻璃舞台。站在那裡，腳下是一整片海洋。
以測候所命名，是因為這裡的設計以太陽運行做為基礎，考慮了不同節氣的光線。夏至之日，日出之光穿過僅靠37片玻璃支撐，掛了7幅《海景》系列作品的「夏至光遙拜100公尺藝廊」；冬至之日，從相模灣升起的光線將直射入面向大海的「冬至光遙拜隧道」。
「冬至象徵了生命的再生，宛如古代人一樣觀測天空，正是藝術的起源，在這裡有著通往未來的起點。」杉本博司說。在隧道裡，有一口古井，彷彿象徵著時間本身。
以現時的土木技術，人類可以快速且便宜地建造所有大型建築物。然而，因為消耗的生活方式，氣候危機又再一次回到人類的視野中。
以《海景》系列聞名世界的杉本博司一直強調，我們凝視海時，喚起的感受與古代人凝視海時的感受是相似的。即使對未來人來說，情況也是一樣。海洋，有可以被稱為「原點」的部份。
新素研的新，指的也許就是一次又一次，以全新的目光去觀看原點。唯有這樣，才有可能建造出未來的遺跡。
對某些人來說，時間是一個過大的話題。然而，偶爾思考構成自我的「素材」，持續更新自我，也是一件有趣的事。
In the Odawara city of Kanagawa, Japan, facing Sagami Bay and leaning against the hillside of the Hakone Outer Rim is an architecture named Enoura Observatory.
The Japanese term for “Observatory” (sokkōjo) is derived from a kanji that denotes a site for astronomical and meteorological observations. Observing rain, wind directions and daylight to plan out the timing for everyday and agricultural affairs is one of the oldest kinds of human scientific activities. As technology advances, climate problems that once threatened human survival have become more easily forecasted and dealt with. Observatories were eventually unmanned and even abandoned to fall into ruin on the borders.
But Enoura Observatory is not an actual observatory. It is a museum designed by Shinsoken, a company founded by artist/photographer/antique collector/architect Hiroshi Sugimoto.
Why did a museum take on the name of an observatory?
Shinsoken, short for New Material Research Laboratory (Shinsozai Kenkyūjo), is an architectural firm co-founded by Sugimoto and architect Tomoyuki Sakakida in 2008. It centres around the concept of “Old is New” to draw brand new architectural design approaches from traditional materials and techniques. Shinsoken believes that their designs are able to connect past and present eras, to extend into the future.
The book Old is New compiles the works and concepts of Shinsoken over ten years. At the start, it recounts how Sugimoto’s contemplation on architectural design began from his experience of setting up exhibitions. While exhibiting his photography and installation works in museums around the world, he noticed that architects also leave strong marks in the spaces, so much so that they affect how works convey ideas. As a result, he started taking his works as focal points to envision the spaces best suited for their placements.
What Sugimoto hopes to achieve is to design just the right, appropriate space. When a space feels just right, Japanese people use the word miwakeru to describe it. “Despite being called a photographer, I have been working with water, air and light all along. Architecture is an art of a similar kind,” said Sugimoto.
Old is New focuses on discussing 6 materials and methods, namely stone, wood, wall, roof, window and garden. To Shinsoken, while these materials are antiquated, they contain enormous innovative potential.
Take stones for an example. In ancient Japan, castle walls are built by a technique called nozurazumi. Masons stacked natural, unpolished and locally quarried stones into a stonewall. They listened to the sounds of different stones, then made use of their uneven surfaces to create close to impossible balance. Just within Enoura Observatory, there is a castle wall passed down from ancient times.
Taking this traditional technique as a foundation, Shinsoken cleverly adds unpolished, natural boulders to its spatial designs. For instance, in Tea House Enzankyo in California, it uses stones to create a scenery outside the tea house. Taking a corner out of the expansive North American sky, it combines ancient stones in the garden and maple trees that change colours seasonally to compose a flowing landscape painting.
Opened in 2017, Enoura Observatory is a compound work that Sugimoto had envisioned for years. The site contains a tea house, a garden, a temple, a stone stage and a roman theatre. Following through the upward slope, one comes upon a suspended design much like Kiyomizu-dera Temple. The design, lifted up by a cypress structure and tiled with glass, is an optical glass stage that requires no nails. One stands on it, and the ocean stretches out under his feet.
The site was named an observatory because its design is based on the solar cycle and has taken into consideration light rays during different solar terms. During the summer solstice, light at sunrise travels through the “Summer Solstice Light-Worship 100-Meter Gallery”, which is barely supported by 37 glass windows and hangs 7 artworks from the Sea of Japan series. During the winter solstice, light rising from Sagami Bay enters directly through the “Winter Solstice Light-Worship Tunnel” that overlooks the sea.
“The winter solstice symbolises the rebirth of life. To observe the sky as ancient people did, that is precisely the origin of art. This place contains the origin that leads to the future,” said Sugimoto. Inside the tunnel, an old well seems to symbolise time itself.
With the current civil engineering technology, humans can build all kinds of large-scale architecture with speed and under low cost. The consumerist lifestyle has, however, caused a return of climate crises to the human horizon again.
Renowned worldwide for his Sea of Japan series, Sugimoto has asserted all along that as we gaze at the sea, the feeling it calls forth parallels how ancient people felt when they gazed at the sea, and likewise for people in the future too. The ocean contains aspects that can be called “the origin”.
The Shin (New) in Shinsoken perhaps points to viewing the origin with new eyes again and again. Only through this is it possible for the relics of the future to be erected.
To some, time is too grand a topic to consider. But to contemplate the “materials” that form the self at times and renew the self continuously is also an interesting thing.
