The route to the top

 

The change of the freezing ice factory to a warm and inviting public space to connect people.

 

At the big wooden tori (gate) in Fuji Yoshida the famous hiking trail starts up to the top of the beloved Mount Fuji. While walking along this trail the hiker experiences changes. From the gate walking the trail in the forest, having a rest at a wooden hut and at the end the reward of the open space at the top of the mountain and the breath taking view of the surrounding.

 

This experience forms the main concept for our design. The different floors each have their own function and spatial experience. And there is of course the trail that connects them together.

 

Lets start our hiking outside. The ice factory has some extensions at the side. These will be demolished and give new open outside space in return. This space opens the old factory up to the city and creates the new entrance. Beside the entrance the outside space can also be used as an outside kitchen, market place, event space, exhibition area and a terrace/ seating area.

 

The first station (floor) has the concept 'gates and doors’. The space will be used for cooking classes, parties, selling local products, eating, drinking and relaxing.

 

The gates and frames are used inside and outside and connect the inside and outside with each other. The 'gates and frames’ are used in different ways: they form the entrance, they create seating space, shade, make segmentation if needed, they place the kitchens, bar and the other added functions. The 'gates and frames' are placed in the grid of the existing steel frame.

 

Following the trail along the stairs we find 'the shop’ in the void which connects all the floors together and can be used to expose and sell local products.

 

Then we take a break at the second station (floor) with the concept ‘hut’. Here we find working space for local entrepreneurs where they can plug in and work.

 

This space has the terrace in the middle where people can work together surrounded by the more individual working huts and the fire place for more informal work or perhaps a rest. Some privacy is made by the frames with semi transparent textile. The second small existing stair is removed and the void is now used to connect floors together and place a lighting object.

 

Climbing higher up the mountain we arrive at the third station (floor) with the concept 'open space’. This multi-functional space can be used for events, presentations, meetings, exhibitions, conference and lectures

 

A semi transparent curtain in an oval form can be used to envelop the center space. The different layers of textile create subtle differences in the level of transparency and adding depth to the space. The floor in the center is a curved carpet like the snowy top of the mountain. Kids can play here, or it can be used to sit or lie during a lecture or to watch the exhibited art.

 

Additionally we propose a future expansion on the roof which can hold an outside museum, sculpture garden and exhibition space and the view off Mount Fuji.

 

Projectteam: Shuichiro Yoshida, Tomotaka Yamano

and Daniëlle Bakkes.