Some recent drawings of random streets in Kyōto. Kyōto is one of my favourite cities. It is a wonderful eclectic mix of the old and the new, the traditional and the modern. Japanese urban streets have a fanstastic unique character. There are power lines criss-crossing everywhere, colourful signs, narrow alleys, bicycles, small houses and buildings in all different styles, and of course the majestic temples and their gardens. If you are lucky, you will also find a friendly cat (laughs). I could spend all day drawing Japanese streetscapes.

Here is also an environment study of the shopping mall "SMS" in Tórshavn in the Faroe Islands. I have a special affinity for shopping malls (I worked in what was at the time the world's largest back in 2009-2010). When I first stumbled across this building while walking in Tórshavn in 2016, I was blown away by how cool it was. The concept is quite simple: seven volumes with pitched roofs are lined up along a rectangular central "indoor street". Despite its size, the building appears as a successful adaptation to the residential areas that surround it. It is interesting that the primary interior circulation areas are actually placed in the roof valleys. Here the endless potential versatility of the rectilinear gable form is on full display.

Recently I also finished the book "Tree", by Aya Kōda. This book was published posthumously, first in Japan in 1992. At last an English translation was released this year. Unsurprisingly, this book is a collection of short stories about the author's interactions with various trees! As someone that also likes trees, I had this book in the back of my mind ever since I saw it featured in the film "Perfect Days" (which I also highly recommend). What a delight it would be to have the free time to learn Japanese to a level of fluency.

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