Case Study: Creneau International achieves seamless earth-architecture integration with VectorWorks

Taking the Future of Interior Design Beyond the Stars

Norihiko Dan and Associates, a Tokyo-based firm led by environmental architect Norihiko Dan, was tasked with designing the Nishikyogoku Swimming Pool Complex on a tiny 3.6-hectare site that needed roughly 3.0 hectares of program, including a summer pool and a winter skating rink. The confined, residential location and the requirement for a large underground mechanical room originally implied removing about 90,000 m³ of soil—an inefficient, disruptive solution that conflicted with Dan’s commitment to integrating architecture and landscape.

Dan applied his Universal Form Theory, treating the project as a blended “curry” of architecture and landform: the excavated material was reused on site to form a green hill, allowing the building to be partly earth-embedded with a green roof and fluid, kidney-shaped volumes. The team used Vectorworks Architect’s 3D/NURBS tools to model the complex freeform geometry and produce persuasive renderings; the facility (completed 2002) improved thermal performance, preserved the neighborhood, added multiple amenities, and earned the IOC/IAKS Silver Award in 2005.

Creneau International

Fillip Janssen

Sales and Marketing