Located between the gardens of the Meiji Shrine – a Shinto sanctuary – and the Imperial Palace, in the heart of Tokyo, the new National Stadium contributes to preserving the natural environment of this historical area through restraint in size and the cultivation of different plant species around the perimeter. Besides green zones accompanying the street-level accessways, the building features a raised loggia that gives rise to a scenic route around the field. The extended eaves that are a characteristic of traditional Japanese architecture are reinterpreted here by means of a vertical succession of slanting bands – clad in boards of larch and Okinawa pine taken from certified forests – that provide shade and direct air currents towards the seats. Inside, wood is the predominant material, the roof being formed by trusses of laminated timber and metal connectors. To make daylight reach all corners of the arena and ensure that the grass grows in the winter months, the south part of the roof features an enormous skylight. Further bioclimatic strategies include rainwater collection, photovoltaic power generation, and geothermal climate control, all of which help in the stadium’s energy saving.

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Photos: © Taisei Corporation, Azusa Sekkei Co., Ltd. , Kengo Kuma and Associates Joint Venture