reBourne dojo, koi pond, and asian house

When I first heard about the new dojo prefab now available at reBourne this morning, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I simply thought, oh a dojo? Cool. Then I actually visited the sim where reBourne is located, and it’s more than just cool; the dojo and house make for a serene, tranquil getaway spot that I wish I could have in real life. Here’s a short video I put together that gives you a glimpse:

(Vimeo has slightly better video quality.)

The textures are superb. The details on the lanterns, shoji screens, and tatami mats are perfect, imo. As for the various wood surfaces, bamboo, and roof tiles? Their beauty is in their realism. These aren’t perfectly shiny and symmetrical surfaces; rather, they’ve been made to look a bit weathered and aged. I often find that builds that strive after a sort of “minimal” and “clean lines” kind of look end up feeling a bit cold, but the dojo’s textures and lighting all pulls together very nicely so that the entire build is imbued with a peaceful and inviting warmth.

Clicking on the images will take you to my flickr page where larger versions reside:

You can tell that Danny Bourne put thought, care, and research into the build. I loved the oni paintings that are at both of the scripted sliding door entrances, as well as the white silk brocade on the zabuton cushions at the tea table; the brocade pattern features cranes and sakura blossoms. One detail that I really appreciated about the zabutons is that they’re not textured identically, adding even more realism to the feel of the build. There are more zabuton placed outside in front of the dojo, making it a perfect place to sit with a friend and enjoy their company while viewing whatever SL scenery you might put there. It’s a great spot to put down a sakura tree or two.

Nestled between the dojo and the rustic house is the koi pond. It features small wooden footbridge, several koi fish, lotus blossoms and lily pads, as well as some short and tall grasses.  I’ve included both day and night shots so that you can see the lighting at work in a darker setting.

The house is small and simple, basically made up of two split-level rooms. In the main room is a batsudan (shrine) that is identical to the one below the katana stand in the dojo, except this one is larger. There are a lot of windows which have bamboo blinds that are scripted to go up and down when you click them. In the secondary room is a simple wooden furo (bath) that sits on a stone floor; it features a pleasant lounging pose for couples.

Here are some of the specs for the builds:
Dojo – 386 prims (including furniture), 25m X 20m footprint
Koi Pond – 94 prims, 14m X 6m footprint
Asian House – about 160 prims, about 20m X 20m footprint

Visit reBourne to see the dojo, koi pond, and house for yourself!

Other credits…
Kimono – Aoharu group gift (visit Aoharu to see other kimonos, there is a 50% off sale until 7/20)
Hair & hair ornament – old freebie
Kimono AO – Bushidou
Skin – Redgrave Sakura
Body Shape – Mela’s Sae
Eyes – Exodi Twilight