A quiet ode to Japanese architecture

The Summer House is, as a testament to the artistry of Japanese architecture, published just as Japanese design is gaining global attention.

- Walter Sim

THE SUMMER HOUSE By Masashi Matsuie, translated by Margaret Mitsutani Other Press/Fiction/400 pages/ $29.98

But what exactly defines a building as "quintessentially Japanese"?

The answer can swing the pendulum from eye-stopping showiness to serene minimalism, which Masashi Matsuie masterfully explores in his compelling debut. Readers are introduced to the inner workings and human dynamics within a small Japanese architectural firm.

The source material, titled "kazan no fumoto de" (literally "at the foot of a volcano") in Japan, was published in 2012. It launched Matsuie's professional second act as a novelist at age 54, after he resigned as literary editor at Shinchosha, one of Japan's top publishing houses.

The novel immediately scooped the prestigious Yomiuri Prize for Literature, an honour typically reserved for veterans.

The richly atmospheric narrative unfolds through the eyes of Toru Sakanishi, a rookie architect who lands his dream apprenticeship at the esteemed Murai Office of Architectural Design. Its founder, Shunsuke Murai, is an industry giant who rejects flashy modernism for an unwavering commitment to function and principle.