Masashi Matsuie’s debut novel is a brilliant, masterful poem in prose about the sublime beauty of architecture working in tandem with nature.
True greatness in building design is something to be cherished and, hopefully, experienced firsthand. This can be seen in the Gothic cathedral in Köln, Germany, for example, or a frieze from the Parthenon, or the simplicity of a well-placed window with a stellar view. “The Summer House” is the next best thing.
The book is a chance to indulge in a thousand vignettes of quiet, poetic brilliance woven through the story of a young designer’s experiences at a company retreat one summer. Each page exemplifies the simple joys to be found in the best of man-made structures.
An Annual Pilgrimage
Every year, from late July to mid-September, the staff at Murai Office of Architectural Design in Tokyo relocate to a place known as the Summer House located in the forested mountains of Aoguri. Set in the mid-1980s, the story revolves around designer Shunsuke Murai (referred to as Murai Sensei, or just Sensei). He’s now in his 70s; for the last several years, there’s been an unspoken understanding that his work effort is slowing down, and an eventual stop will be coming sooner rather than later.
