Team Zoo uses nature as a center design concept in their buildings.  I always try to respond to nature in the work I do.  Like the Nakijin Community Center, I use nature as a symbiotic element in the building and not only as an afterthought.  At the Nakijin Community Center, the earth flows onto the roof, creating thermal mass and insulation and brings the building to the landscape.  In Nago City Hall, natural ventilation helps cool the building with less need on mechanical systems.  The building itself is designed around these patterns and they are integral to the design.

From a very early stage in the design process, I start thinking about how natural element can shape the building.  In previous studios, this is shown in my diagrams.  Pictured here is a diagram from a past studio project showing how wind, using the chimeny effect and proper orientation can be used to cool a building.