located in the north west of kyoto, the kyoto international conference centre (国立京都国際会館) is an arresting and dramatic design, foregrounds a modernist approach to technique and materials together with historical refernces to traditional japanese architecture. it was in this building that the kyoto protocol on environmental protection was signed. the design was undertaken by sachio otani ((大谷 幸夫) who previously trained in the studio of kenzo tange. where he participated in the design of the hiroshima peace museum. (when i visited in july this summer, the temperature was in the region of 39º — 40º C, with humidity approaching 100% it was all i could do to get the shots i did in such temperatures)