Ando's Awaji Yume Butai

This is a photo from my day trip to the island of Awaji-shima, the first island created by a mythological deity couple of Isanagi and Izanami in ancient times, when there were only deities and no humanity and when Japan was about to be created.


Near Ando's Water Temle stands another of his work, rather a big one, named Awaji-Yumebutai meaning Awaji Dream Stage. It's a resort complex with a hotel, restaurants, shops, an international conference center, a green house named "The Miracle Planet Museum of Plants" and of course a dream world by Ando's architecture. 


The site was once an abandoned quarry, looking dismal, but was transformed into an exquisite Ando world where natural resilience and human engineering have restored the environment. 


The England soccer team Beckham once belonged to stayed at the hotel here, the Westin Awaji Island.