This design for a tea house, nestled in the gently rolling hills of an Alpine valley, simultaneously erupts from and burrows into the earth, existing in harmony with its environment. The heavily battered stucco clad walls envelop a two-story interior space that cascades downhill. The main level contains the tea ceremony area, while the lower level acts as a guest lounge. A low-pitched slate clad roof, with deep overhangs, provides protection from the elements, while acting as a visual counterbalance to the mass of the structure below it. Along the north and west sides, the roof continues down to the ground, providing an enclosed area for the host entrance. Upon entering the sheltered interior, the visitor’s focus is shifted from existing in a vast natural environment to that of internal contemplation, where a bonding occurs between host and guest, and inner peace is gained through the ritual of the tea ceremony itself.