Asian architecture has proven over the years to be steps ahead and at the forefront of pioneering innovative architecture that is oftentimes futuristic. In this article, a masterpiece ‘Yanmar Stadium Nagai’ by an outstanding Asian Architecture firm will be examined and analysed.
Introduction of Showa Sekkei Incorporated | Yanmar Stadium Nagai
Showa Sekkei Inc is a Japanese-based architectural company created in 1957. Presently, the firm has two hundred and twelve employees and is headed by Mikio Chikusa. It is an architecture firm that aims for user comfort, top-notch technology that promotes sustainability, and quality designs that stand the test of time and remain relevant for centuries to come.
Showa Sekkei Inc. has expanded the scope of services rendered to include urban development and water and sewage infrastructure. The company has a team of professionals in various fields or industries such as education, sports, culture, health e.t.c. to make each design process seamlessly streamlined to solve the existing problems for each given project and hence satisfy the client’s need.
With numerous design projects completed and several awards to its name, Showa Sekkei has proven to be an architectural company worthy of note.
Overview of the Yanmar Stadium Nagai
Situated in the heart of Osaka, Japan, like a rising beacon, the Nagai Stadium (Yanmar Stadium Nagai) is a mega stadium with five floors that has the capacity of holding about five thousand people.
The original structure of the stadium was built in 1964 and could only accommodate twenty-three thousand spectators at a time. In 1966, Showa Sekkei was laden with the task of designing an extension which would allow the stadium to contain an additional twenty-seven thousand people at a time. This was in a bid to make the Yanmar Stadium serve as the venue for Japan’s National Sports Festival held in 1967.
Notable Accolades and Awards
Apart from being the place that hosted the 2002 FIFA world cup—an achievement that proves that the structure was designed in a way that would appeal not only to the local but also to the international community—Yanmar Stadium has received five awards as listed below.
- Award of The Institute of Electrical Installation Engineers of Japan (2008)
This is proof that the electrical system of such a massive structure as the Yanmar Stadium was of high-quality standards and very efficient.
- Superior Fire and Disaster Prevention System Award (2002)
This assures that the structure was not only designed for the thrill of sports but also with foresight for danger prevention. This means that there will be a minimal event of problems in case of unexpected disasters such as fire outbreaks, earthquakes e.t.c.
- Lighting Selection Commendation (1997)
The stadium boasts stellar lighting. During the daytime, natural light pours in from the courtyard-style opening where an adjustable roof is. At night, the artificiaHil light automatically comes on, providing adequate lighting for easy visibility of what is going on inside as well as a stunning sight when viewed from the exterior. This was deemed worthy of commendation.
- Good Lighting Award of The Illuminating (1997)
The corroborating reasons have been stated in the earlier-stated award.
- JID Award—Japanese Interior Designers Award (1997)
This is somewhat a seal of approval for the building’s innovative design style. The Yanmar Stadium Nagai is therefore the ideal spot for hosting field and track sports in Japan as well as on an international scale.
Design Philosophy
Sports design has conventionally been propagators of fluidity and motion, right from the time of the Greeks who pioneered the global acumen of sports via the Olympic Games held in amphitheatres.
Instead of using the acute edges and straight forms common in other types of structures, the Yanmar Stadium Nagai design philosophy favours curves, a domed circular structural system and a single wide, open space.
Planning and Design | Yanmar Stadium Nagai
The design is simple, yet complex. It has an oval-shaped ground plan and section that spirals downward like the fulcrum of a wide funnel towards the central field (the focal point of the stadium) where the sporting activities are to be held. A lot of considerations were put in place during the planning and design process such as the standard dimensions for the sporting arena, anthropometrics, lighting, user comfort, safety and mobility.
Style
The style Showa Sekkei employed in designing the Yanmar Stadium Nagai was majorly parametric with a hint of brutalism.
Concept
The concept behind the Yanmar Stadium was most likely gleaned from precedents and a need to stand out as an iconic building in its surrounding context. To a layman, the concept behind the stadium could be seen as a sort of ball shape that can easily be interpreted as giving sports vibes.
Materials
As is the case for every massive building project, multiple materials were combined to produce the outcome.
- Structural materials: steel, wood.
- Cladding materials: Precast concrete, metal.
- Facade: Glazed glass, tiles plastic.
Durability, cost and health implications are some of the factors that came into play in the choice of the materials used in the Yanmar Stadium, Nagai.
Construction Process
Not much is known in detail about the construction process and the cost of the project except that it was first built in 1964, expanded in 1966 and renovated in 2007. As a government-funded project, it is expected that a lot of money was invested in making such a masterpiece in record time.
Innovative and Inspirational Elements and Technology Used | Yanmar Stadium Nagai
Showa Sekkei used some innovative elements and technology that are awe-inspiring.
- The inculcation of shading elements.
- Intertwining nature and technology.
- The grandeur and coherence of the large space are employed.
Showa Sekkei has successfully designed many sport-related projects, but the Yanmar Stadium, Nagai has cut across the barrier of space and time and is still standing tall today.
References:
- www.showa-sekkei.co.jp Nagai Stadium（Yanmar Stadium Nagai）SHOWA SEKKEI – Projects Available at: https://www.showa-sekkei.co.jp/en/project/?id=61 (Accessed on 15th October, 2022)
- Covet edition. 2020. Greet the Architecture Professionalism of Showa Sekkei Available at: https://www.covetedition.com/projects/architecture-showa-sekkei/ (Accessed on 15th October, 2022)
- Wikipedia. 2022. Yanmar Stadium Nagai. Available at: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yanmar_Stadium_Nagai (Accessed on 15th October, 2022)
