The L.E.A.D. YEZO Retreat Is Something Straight Out of Fantasy Fiction

Nestled in the northern mountain range of Hokkaido, Japan, you’ll find YEZO, a small retreat design and built by the Laboratory for Explorative Architecture & Design (aka L.E.A.D.), an international, multiple award-winning architecture design and research practice that’s been innovating for a decade. YEZO takes advantage of the dramatic landscape that surrounds it and leverages an experimental design approach to create a private sanctuary surrounded by nature that provides all the modern creature comforts while still looking like a shell from Mario Kart because of the overall timber-shingle design. That impressive, flowing roof that resembles the Mario Kart shell we just talked about is an incredibly complex design that camouflages and protects the fireplace, viewing balcony and living areas that make YEZO a retreat we would all love to stay in. That said, since the entire interior is defined by wood, stone, water and natural light flowing in from the expansive windows, we’d more than happily spend a vacation in this comfortable retreat.