Tadao Ando surrounds huge buddha statue with lavender-covered mound at Sapporo cemetery – Dezeen

Japanese architectTadao Andohas concealed ahuge stone statue of the buddha within ahill covered in lavender plants at theMakomanai Takino Cemetery in Sapporo.

The top of thestatue's head just crests through a circular well at the centre of the verdant mound, which iscarpetedin150,000of the purple-flowering plants.

Visitors must pass through a 40-metre tunnel to get to the foot of the 13.5-metre-tall statue.

Madeup of arches of folded concrete, the tunnel is dimly lit to create a "womb-like" atmosphere, while the opening at the centre is naturally litand surrounded by concertinaed concrete walls that narrow towards the sky.

Ando completed the Hill of the Buddha at theMakomanai Takino Cemeteryin northern Japan in late 2015, but photographs and aerial drone footage of the project have just begun to circulate.

"The aim of this project was to build a prayer hall that would enhance the attractiveness of a stone buddha sculpted 15 years ago. The site is a gently sloping hill on 180 hectares of lush land belonging to a cemetery," Andowrotein an essay for Domus magazine.

"Until now, the buddha statue has stood alone in the field, giving an unrestful impression. The client wanted to give visitors a more serene appreciation of the buddha," he continued. "Our idea was to cover the buddha below the head with a hill of lavender plants. We called the idea the 'head-out buddha'."

The vegetation provides a seasonally appropriate backdrop for the statue, changing from green in spring topurple in summer and finally white in winter, when the mound is heaped in snow.

A water garden at the base of the mound is surrounded by tall cast-concrete walls and a small border of grey gravel.

"One of the cemetery's charms is how well it achieves harmony with the natural landscape," said theMakomanai Takino Cemetery.

"Surprisingly, one only sees the head of the statue surrounded by the landscape of the hill," it continued.

"Atama Daibutsu (The Buddha's Head) was named for its novel, impressive appearance. It stands in perfect harmony with the surrounding landscape in all seasons. Thus a new symbol of the cemetery been established."

"The whole body of the Atama Daibutsu can't be seen from outside. Snow accumulates on its head in winter. What remains hidden from view sparks the creativity," addedAndo.

A self-taught architect, Ando has become one of the mostrenowned in his field,winning the Pritzker Prize in 1995, the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 1997 and AIA Gold Medal in 2002. He ranked at number 16 on the inaugural Dezeen Hot List.

Manyof Ando's recently completed projects have been in Mexico, including aconcrete house and art centre for a picturesque seaside site, and aschool of art, design and architecture at theUniversity of Monterrey.

This project exhibits some of the keycharacteristics of Ando's work namely the use of raw concrete, dramatic play of natural light, and the interplay of interior and exterior spaces.

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Tadao Ando surrounds huge buddha statue with lavender-covered mound at Sapporo cemetery - Dezeen