Japanese ancient tombs inspired this amazing public space
Japanese studio nendo designed a public space in the Nara prefecture that is inspired by ancient Japanese tombs, Inhabitat.com reports.
The multipurpose public space, called CoFuFun, is located at the Tenri station in Japan’s Nara prefecture and comprises bicycle rentals, cafes, and a play area in the 6,000-square-meter plaza.
The plaza was designed with a series of circular structures inspired by the grass-covered cofuns and the geography of the Tenri region, mimicking the mountainous landscape with some structures depressed and others domed.
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The name CoFuFun combines two Japanese words: ‘cofun’, which is the name of sacred tomb mounds that the Tenri region is known for, and colloquial Japanese expression ‘fufun,’ which means happy, unconscious humming.
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The structures within the complex have a variety of uses, such as seating, shade, play, and even skating, with the ultimate goal of the project being to encourage the revitalization of the area through strengthening community bonds.
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“The cofun are beautiful and unmistakable, but blend into the spaces of everyday life in the city,” says nendo. “The alphabet spelling, “CoFuFun”, also brings in the “co-“ of “cooperation” and “community”, as well as – of course –“fun” itself.
The result is a name whose Japanese and alphabet spellings mean similar things, so that foreign visitors to the plaza will understand it in the same way, too,” the studio concluded.