Shangri-La

Oita, Japan

Photo © Koji Fujii

Picture © Koji Fujii

Photo © Koji Fujii

Plazas

Architects: SAKO Architects

Location: 2-1 Koendorinishi, Oita, Japan
Year: 2022
Team: Principal Architect: Keiichiro Sako
Landscape Design: SAKO Architects

This project involved the renewal of a children's playground located in a corner of a large commercial facility. We created a beautiful and enjoyable paradise, "SHANGRI-LA," that will remain in the memories of children.

Spiral Terrace
We preserved a 25-year-old zelkova tree, placing it at the center and expanding a spiral water surface around it, resembling terraced rice paddies. The pure white side walls and water bottom resemble the beauty of the limestone terraces of "Baishuitai" in China's Shangri-La. The three-dimensional freeform walls undulate vertically, featuring circular peepholes at the upper bends and passageways to adjacent loops at the lower bends. Water vigorously rises, creating a pleasant sound on the water surface, inviting children to play.

Sky Loop
Encircling the "Spiral Terrace," we installed a circular aerial corridor called the "Sky Loop." This open space allows visitors to feel the vast sky and overlook the playground. It connects the upper and lower floors while forming a circulation pathway on the lower floor. The existing eaves space in front of the shops has been expanded to provide a comfortable shade for visitors. By gradually arranging six shades of blue and green as the vertical bars of the handrails, we created a beautiful image of the sky, water, and greenery. Each color was selected to resonate with the clear blue sky, the vegetation of the nearby hills, and the colors of the existing building's exterior walls and roof.