@Fukushima United FC

While Fukushima is sadly more widely associated with nuclear tragedy … this may soon change as Japan prepares to unveil a new landmark: a circular timber stadium. Designed by Japanese architecture studio Vuild, the venue, which has 5,000 seats, will be the new home of Fukushima United FC. The 16-metre-tall, two-tiered structure was designed … to be a ‘symbol of hope and recovery’ for a region that has been profoundly affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which resulted in a nuclear disaster. The architects have framed the project as a gesture of resilience … drawing on circular principles of reuse and regeneration … with each component designed for disassembly and reuse. …The extensive use of laminated timber rather than concrete or steel is possible because each of the stadium’s four sections covers less than 3,000 square metres. According to Japanese regulations, this exempts the structure from being classified as a fireproof building, thus enabling the pioneering all-wood design.

Additional coverage (in Japanese!): 日本初の完全木造＆世界初の循環型木造スタジアム構想-