Erica Heartquist, Communication Manager
Portland Japanese Garden+1 503.542.9339
eheartquist@japanesegarden.org

KENGO KUMA CREATES MASTERPIECE FOR PORTLAND JAPANESE GARDEN
Portland, Oregon: Portland Japanese Garden,celebrated as the most authentic Japanesegardens outside Japan, opened its $37M CulturalVillage expansion in April 2017. Designed by world
renowned architect Kengo Kuma, who is also
spearheading the National Stadium for the 2020
Tokyo Olympics, the organization’s new LEED-gold
Cultural Village not only provides additional space
to accommodate its rapid visitor growth, but also and most importantly – enhances its ability toimmerse visitors in traditional Japanese arts andculture. It is the first public commission project for
Kuma in the United States.
“In this increasingly plugged-in, distracted world,
we find many of our guests seek out the peaceand respite they find within the Garden,” said
Steve Bloom, Chief Executive Officer for Portland
Japanese Garden. “With this new Cultural Village,
we will extend the Garden’s mission and purpose
to provide a heightened sense of tranquility, amore robust educational experience, and preserve
significant Japanese cultural traditions and artforms.”
Architectural Inspiration
Kuma’s design principle of harmony between
nature and architecture, as well as hiscommitment to natural materials and Japanesetradition made him the perfect architect to create
a Cultural Village outside the historical gardens,
evocative of the monzenmachi or “gate-fronttowns” outside of Japanese temples. 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.
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“Given its proximity to nature, Portland, Oregon is unlike
any place in the world. The architecture in the Cultural
Village serves as a connector to the stunning Oregonlandscape, Japanese arts and tradition, and the original
Garden which is, in itself, perfect,” said Kuma. “Workingon this project has influenced my approach, especiallyintegrating green and wood. For example, the National
Stadium in Tokyo will be rich in vegetation, evoking afeeling of forest in the city.”
With this expansion, Kuma and Uchiyama created animmersive, fluid journey from beginning to end. To better welcome visitors, the Tanabe Welcome
Center entrance features a water garden with cascading ponds, introducing the transition from city totranquility.
The Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center ishome to a gallery space, a multi-purpose classroom, theGarden Gift Shop, and the Vollum Library, a comprehensive
resource on Japanese gardening and related arts. The
centerpiece of the Learning Center is a stunning staircase
designed to also serve as seating for performances anddemonstrations.
The third building is a new Garden House, where an
expanded offering of horticulture classes and workshops
take place.
Kuma designed living roofs atop the two structures to absorb rainwater while transitioning the eye
gradually from the forest backdrop to the architecture below. A unique roof tile designed by Komatsu
Seiren allows the razor thin, straight lines to be achieved.
At the heart of the village, visitors find an authentic,
intimate Umami Café, which provides a place to rest
and refresh while experiencing gracious Japaneseinspired service firsthand. The café’s unique location
floats over the hillside at the east side of the Village
providing scenic views of the area’s surrounding beauty,
reminiscent of the Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto.
Constructed using Port Orford cedar and Tyvek, whichemulates rice paper, the café floats in nature and fuses
harmoniously into its surroundings.
About Portland Japanese Garden

Portland Japanese Garden is a nonprofit organization originally founded in 1963 as a place for crosscultural understanding following World War II. It has become a global destination for Japanese art,
nature, and peace in Portland, Oregon. It is considered the most authentic Japanese garden outsideof Japan and the foremost Japanese cultural organization in North America.
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