Asymmetrical flow

The sports complex Slowtecture M has been built in the Prefecture of Hyogo, in the Japanese region of Kansai. It was designed by local architect Shuhei Endo and was originally destined to being a facility for use in emergencies and natural disasters: a building that appears to blend with nature yet also provides shelter from the surroundings.

The complex would appear to emerge from the ground, rising-up slowly to then extend gently, like a water droplet with irregular edges. It is a continuous flow of surfaces: nature and architecture meet and merge, blending their boundaries in an endless effect created between the inside and the outside, between concave and convex. The power of the project lies in its dual function - the fact that it can exploit a location which was designed to be a hub for emergency operations and also for sporting events.

There are nine tennis courts available, including a center court in a prime position which can accommodate 1500 people. Numerous severe building control regulations had to be respected in the design of such a vast complex, with such an enormous seating capacity. The center court was created six meters below ground level with the remaining eight tennis courts positioned around it. There is a service area that includes the entrance gateway, the male and female changing rooms, the offices, an audio-visual hall, a bar and a nursing-room.

Endo’s design philosophy was to experiment new shapes to create a dynamic and flowing space; this was the layout for Slowtecture M which develops in an asymmetrical manner to best satisfy the demands. Undoubtedly, it was primarily designed for sport. However, in the event of an emergency, it is ideal as a shelter and can contain lorries, tents and emergency operators. For these reasons, four large entrances were included in the design to permit the movement of large rescue vehicles with additional access points to the front and rear of the building. The roof consists of an intricate grid of steel beams, covering the building like a spider’s web. It allows natural light to filter inside through the three large domes, one of which, like a large reflector, providing the illumination of the center court.

Thanks to these large skylights, the consumption of artificial light is reduced and the choice of special glass panes controls the interaction between the outdoor climate and the conditions inside with a reduction in the quantity of direct sunlight. Around the skylights, the architect has added illumination tracks. Shuhei Endo’s poetic architecture develops as a delicate balance between light and shadow, full and empty volumes, in harmony with the environment and the building’s natural surroundings. The continuous structure of the roof and wall is a sort of garden containing ten different plant species. At the outset, the land was bare and void of vegetation but just six months later, plants began to grow ‘covering the building in a soft grassy layer’ that rises up for 20 meters on the South elevation and 4 meters on the North elevation where the amount of direct sunlight is limited.

This system guarantees good heat insulation – for example, in the summer, where temperatures climb to 40°C, indoors the temperature is maintained at around 30°C. These choices emphasize the architect’s enormous design sensitivity and his ability to re-invent architecture by creating a harmonious and well-balanced relationship with nature and the environment.