Rokko Shidare by Hiroshi Sambuichi

New York’s sudden heat wave has given us all a bitter taste of what’s in store in the coming weeks. So here’s something to help cool down with.

Last summer architect Hiroshi Sambuichi, known for his ecologically conscious designs, created Rokko Shidare. Dubbed, the nature sensory observation deck, the structure was built almost entirely from hinoki wood and operates on solar and wind power alone. The dome, comprised of numerous hexagons, was designed to attract frost in the winter. And in summer it’s designed to pull in the wind through an opening in the ceiling making it super cool.

Rokko Shidare is one of the main attractions of Rokko Meets Art, an outdoor art exhibition, that kicks off September 17, 2011.