Japanese modern architecture, Kyoto Station interior

Although it is one of them most futuristic buildings in Japan, the Kyoto Station has quite a few architectural elements inspired by the Japanese traditional architecture. The traditional Japanese house has folding walls, so that it can be ventilated by fully opening two or three walls.

The Kyoto Station was designed in a similar way, with a large opening on the lower part of the front wall, above the entrance, up to the steel frame. The sides are also completely open up, and on the side opposite to the entrance, the edifice connects to the train platforms (on the right side of the photo), which are also opened. Maybe that's one of the elements making this building so pleasant and useable...