2017 / The Portland Japanese Garden completed the Japanese Village project designed by world renowned architect Kengo Kuma, who is also spearheading the National Stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The garden’s $33.5 million expansion project provides additional space for art and cultural exhibition. (Photo by Bruce Forster)
Monthly Cultural News, April/May 2017 issue
The Portland Japanese Garden, celebrated as one of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside Japan, on April 2, 2017 opens its $33.5M Cultural Village expansion.
Designed by world renowned architect Kengo Kuma, who is also spearheading the National Stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Garden’s new Cultural Village will not only provide additional space to accommodate its rapid visitor growth, but also - and most importantly - enhance its ability to immerse visitors in traditional Japanese arts and culture.
“In this increasingly plugged-in, distracted world, we find many of our guests seek out the peace and respite they find within the Garden,” said Steve Bloom, chief executive officer for the Portland Japanese Garden.
“With this new Cultural Village, we will extend the Garden’s legacy and purpose, providing a heightened sense of tranquility, a more robust educational experience and preservation of significant cultural traditions and art forms.”
Architectural Inspiration
Mr. Kuma’s design principles of continuity between nature, natural materials, and Japanese tradition make him an ideal match for the Garden’s aim.
Together with the Portland Japanese Garden’s Curator, third generation master garden craftsman Sadafumi Uchiyama, Kuma designed the new Cultural Village, his first public commission in the U.S., to honor the singular experience of each visitor and ensure the serenity is protected for future generations.
“Given its proximity to nature, Portland is unlike any place in the world. This new Cultural Village serves as a connector of the stunning Oregon landscape, Japanese arts and a subtle gradation to architecture,” said Kuma.
“Working with the Garden has influenced my approach to future projects, especially integrating green and wood. For example, the National Stadium in Tokyo will be rich in vegetation, evoking a feeling of forest in the city.”
With this expansion, Kuma and Uchiyama reused and optimized existing land - adding 3.4 acres of usable space to the 9.1 acre property - to create an immersive, fluid journey from beginning to end.
To better welcome visitors, the entrance to the Garden at Washington Park features a water garden with cascading ponds, introducing the transition from city to tranquility.
To protect the peaceful environment, the Village emulates Japan’s monzenmachi, the gate-front towns that surround sacred shrines and temples.
Using a combination of locally sourced materials and Japanese craftsmanship, the Village’s design is informed by a cross-cultural exchange of expertise.
The Tateuchi Courtyard is a gathering space for seasonal activities, performances and demonstrations to educate and enrich the visitor experience.
Each new LEED-certified structure exists harmoniously with nature and serves as a mere frame from which to view its exquisite beauty, leaving the Garden as the centerpiece.
