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Daishoji Park, shown in yellow here, is set in a town surrounded by mountains on the north side of Japan. It is a beautiful site and town characterized by a complex hierarchy of waterways, one of which is a cherry tree-lined stream that bisects the park.
This section shows, in a general way, the relationship between the existing water systems.
In Daishoji, it rains more than 200 days out of the year, and so water channels of all sizes weave throughout the town and surrounding rice fields to direct the flow of water.
Even channels as small as three inches wide are common in the residential fabric of the town.
We chose to celebrate this elaborate system of water channels by continuing them into the park. Daishoji is also known as the birthplace of ancient Kutani pottery, and so we invited local Kutani potters to make tiles, using the unique Kutani colors, to decorate the channels, pools, and walls of the park.
Water channels low to the ground,
and high in the air
weave through the park and cascade down to the stream.
Platforms and walkways move in and around the channels overhead, inviting children to play down next to the water while streams spill down from above.
Even this bridge, a kind of concrete channel itself, has a water channel incorporated into its railing.
A beautiful cherry tree-lined stream cuts through the park, but there had been no way to get down next to the water.
We introduced a covered bridge, along with riverside walkways, so that people could be in the space of the tree-covered river and get close to the water.
We chose to divert the existing stream through a landscape of water-purifying grasses and were happy to see more fish and other life restored to the stream after the park was built.
A Kutani Pottery Museum was planned to open onto the park and so we studied what was unique about Kutani ceramics, such as its characteristic colliding orthogonal and curvilinear patterns, and allowed that to inform our design decisions.
To reflect traditional Kutani designs, we built a pattern of curving paths that intersect a series of orthogonal ones, accented with tiles glazed with traditional Kutani colors.
In places, we used traditional roof tiles in unconventional ways to create decorative paths.
Similar to the path design, we wanted to introduce a series of water channels that contrasted with the orthogonal concrete channels.
We were inspired by systems of water-carrying bamboo propped up on sticks that can be seen throughout Thailand and other parts of Asia,
to build a series of loosely assembled wooden channels that curve and break away from the more rigid concrete ones.
In looking at surrounding landscapes, we discovered the pleasing forms of nearby rice fields
and took it as our point of departure for designing a terraced sitting area in the park.
A wall built as a backdrop for performing traditional tea ceremonies is also adorned with Kutani colored tiles,
and
is used often by the townspeople. The park has succeeded in honoring what
is particular to the town of Daishoji, by bringing together
local tradition, history, craft, landscape, water and people in
a new public place that celebrates all of these.
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