geo-graphic design lab's monto park is a playful grove of arches in osaka

in the creation of a playful and design-minded children’s space, japan-based geo-graphic design lab sites its monto park beneath an elevated railway in osaka. the project celebrates the conceptual ‘ability town’ — a town development that regards health as ‘ability’ and encourages the development of each citizen. this concept is advocated by the surrounding izumiotsu city, who sought a place ‘where children can come up with their own ways of playing, rather than arranging playground equipment that has a fixed usage.’

images by sasanokurasha / yohei sasakura

with its monto park in osaka, geo-graphic design lab transforms the structural concrete column into a dynamic module to be aggregated in three dimensions. this collection recalls the atmosphere of a grove, brightly illuminated with sunlight. the project sits beneath an elevated railway, offering a space to host events regardless of the weather in the rainy area. monto park introduces an elevated lawn, a response to the lack of parks and green spaces suitable for children’s play in izumiotsu city.

UMA / design farm works with geo-graphic design lab in the branding and signage design for osaka’s monto park. the concept integrates the ‘pillars’ of this space for these signage and overall branding elements, rather than introducing an obstacle within the park. for the color scheme of the arches, the team makes use of two colors expressed in blackboard paint. the design team comments: ‘regarding the coloring of blackboard paint, the principle is to change the color of the front and back of the same surface, and to change the viewpoint depending on the viewing place and angle.’

project info:

project title: monto park

architecture: geo-graphic design lab

location: izumiotsu city, osaka prefecture

structural design: TMSD takashi manda structural design office

graphic design: UMA / design farm

construction: beams construction

completion: march 2020

photography: sasanokurasha / yohei sasakura