kengo kuma to expand portland japanese garden with scenic cultural village
all images courtesy of kengo kuma associates / cultural crossing

 

 

 

the japanese garden in portland, oregon has been a cultural highlight of the city for over fifty years. it has introduced and educated visitors with the art of japanese landscaping, and the appreciation of the country’s traditions, while serving as an institution for japanese garden arts and culture. the development of a ‘cultural village’, an expansion which will be led by kengo kuma, and situated outside the gates leading to the gardens.

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the new garden will encourage the teaching and learning of the japanese arts

 

 

 

the new scheme will accommodate educational spaces from classrooms to workshops, where the existing five gardens will aid as a learning tool. illustrated in the renders, the cultural village will utilize the topography to lead visitors towards new site. designed to seamlessly blend into the landscape, the proposal will see the expansion realized as a series of buildings wrapped around a large, central courtyard. this core area will be dedicated to traditional celebrations, activities and will constantly be in view from the indoor spaces.

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the courtyard will be used for music, theater, and dance performances, workshops, cultural festivals, and lectures

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the proposal uses the site’s elevation to gradually lead visitors to the existing japanese gardens

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the parkland already has five existing gardens

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the scheduled completion is spring 2017

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the cultural village will reveal itself a cluster of buildings carefully designed to merge seamlessly into the landscape

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the tea café

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the series of buildings wrap around a central courtyard

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