141. Katsura Imperial Villa, Kyoto, c. 1616-1660 (Japan)

This sprawling villa was built as a domestically-scaled palace for the Japanese Imperial family. It was intended mainly as a temporary or seasonal retreat for meditation and relaxation, and especially for viewing the natural world at various times of day and in different seasons. The buildings of Katsura offer an exquisitely refined manifestation of the traditional Japanese aesthetic, particularly the rustic sukiye style, as evidenced in the five teahouses on the grounds. Its deliberate restraint, or self-conscious austerity, is characteristic of Zen philosophy. The overall plan of the Katsura complex is irregular and additive, but within each building the floor plan is strictly determined by repetition of the standardised module of the tatami mat. The cedar framing of the palace is left unfinished, allowing an appreciation of the natural qualities of the material as well as its weathering with time and use. The interiors can be transformed through the opening and closing of sliding rice-paper partitions; along with an abundance of terraces and porches, this helps to break down the interior/exterior dichotomy, a characteristic much admired by visiting modern architects like Walter Gropius.