“I wanted to create a building where it isn’t clear if there are any rules at all,” explains Tokyo designer Junya Ishigami.

Composed of 305 steel columns and surrounded by glass, the Kanagawa Institute of Technology (KAIT) serves as a workshop for engineering and design students along with members of the local community.

Ishigami's glass box is essentially the centerpiece of the institute. Using contemporary minimalism, a predominantly white interior, and lots of open space, the structure blurs the lines between the indoors and outdoors. The architect's vision was to create the ambiance of a tree-filled forest, not a college classroom, making this one very cool learning environment.