Slowtecture M in Hyogo, Japan by Shuhei Endo

The site is improved as ‘Miki Disaster Management Park Beans Dome’ which is for a stronghold of emergent operation. It was a perquisite condition to combine a function of sports activities with original function from the beginning of this project so that this complex is combined with tennis courts for regular use to utilize this vast space.

This complex was required to look through the space of nine tennis courts including a center court of 1,500 seats. Generally, when a building with many seats is constructed, several legal restrictions are imposed.

Many difficulties have been occurs on the process of creating the entire space without any barrier. In the middle of the dome, the centre court has been sunken 6m below ground level to clear this restriction.

A standard space frame system covers the required space to obtain this vast space. Although this dome is used as tennis courts usually, in case of emergency, lorries are running in the dome and tents are pitched for relief and rescue corps. Though it is an interior space, at the same time, it is also utilized as an exterior space in terms of scale and property.

Architects: Shuhei Endo
Collaborator: Wataru Horie
Project year: 2008
Client: Hyogo PrefectureConsultant: Masashi Ouji,
Design-Structure Laboratory (structure) / Setsubi Giken (service)
Structural System: Steel truss
Site Area: 1,124,000 sqm
Constructed Area: 16,168 sqm