Hanagasumi Pavilion by JuliaSalnikova from russia

Hanagasumi pavilion is a proposal for an architectural outdoor structure in Matsuyama that recreates hanami, a Japanese tradition of flower viewing, which is usually celebrated by having picnics and gatherings underneath sakura trees to appreciate the beauty of cherry blossoms. Literally translated from Japanese as the “flower haze”, Hanagasumi pavilion is a new hanami spot that would encourage the viewers to explore this tradition and offer an unexpected landscape to socialize within.

The wooden structure was inspired by the meaning behind Matsuyama, which name translates as “pine mountain”. Taking inspiration from this meaning and the structure of pine cones that grow on pine trees, I designed a wooden pavilion that consists of multiple wooden pieces that would form a mountain-like space around a sakura tree, the main attraction of the pavilion.

As cherry blossoms are commonly used as metaphors for clouds, I decided to make the experience of being underneath the tree feel like being inside a cloud. The floor would be completely covered with pink sand to bring more softness into the space and create a small mountainous landscape. Hidden fog machines would fill the space with aromatic pink smoke, engulfing the pavilion and the surrounding area in clouds of pink mist and isolating the visitors from the surroundings so they can concentrate on the beauty and colour of the cherry blossom in the middle. Small built-in lights on the inner sides of wooden walls would illuminate the space by constantly being revealed and concealed by the fog.