Prabha

Prabha in Sanskrit, the ancient language of Hindu philosophy and classical Indian scriptures, means light or brilliance. It is interesting that this quaint ossuary hall, located on the grounds of Myorenji Temple in the city of Oita, Japan, is named using the oldest language in the world. Perhaps it is because the ‘purest’ meaning of the word comes through most clearly in this most ancient language.

What is clear is the ‘lightness’ of the project’s overall presence amidst the ‘gravitas’ of the 400-year-old traditional building on the temple grounds—its design a modern interpretation that complements the historical architecture. Lighting is also emphasised in its minimalist composition, while having the corridor set up with the approach to the temple in mind.

The architects shared, “The design was based on the concept of harmony with the temple grounds and [having] minimal impact. The building was planned to function as a backdrop or a fence so as not to give the impression of a private house in the surrounding area.”

“An ossuary is generally thought of as a storage room for graves. We think of an ossuary as a room for the deceased. We want the deceased to feel at home, just as we want the living to feel at home.”

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PROJECT DATA

Project Name
Prabha

Location
Myorenji Temple, Oita City, Oita Prefecture, Japan

Completion Date
November 2023

Site Area
5,147 square metres

Gross Floor Area
323 square metres (Prabha: 178 square metres 1F; 145 square metres 2F)

Building Height
7.5 metres

Client/Owner
Myorenji Temple

Architecture Firm
teamSTAR

Principal Architects
Eitaro Satake (STAR); Shinichiro Yamada (Yamada Studio); Kuniyuki Tanaka (moires)

Main Contractor
iBIC

Mechanical & Electrical Engineer
NoMaDos

Civil & Structural Engineers
Ryotaro Sakata Structural Engineers; architecture restaurant

Images/Photos
Tetsuya Ito (photography)

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