Kisho Kurokawa - Big Eye Stadium

Kisho Kurokawa
Big Eye Stadium
Oita Prefectural Sports Park
Oita City, Japan

Photo: Koji Kobayashi

"It might be just coincidence but we have a pineal gland in the brain that is said to be a degenerated eye-like organ. It seems that we had a third eye in our brain to look up the sky, rather than two eyes to see the world on the earth. Since people abandoned the universe to stay on the earth, the third eye became useless and degenerated. Seeing the Big Eye watching only the sky, such a thought came to my mind."
Kisho Kurokawa
Interview by Makoto Takahashi

Sketch courtesy Kisho Kurokawa

The gentle curves of the spherical design resemble the curves of the surrounding landscape. The choice of a sphere, an expression of abstract symbolism, enables the retractable roof to move along its surface.

The retractable roofs are closed right above the spine, after gradually moving parallel up to the spine. They are pulled up with wires that have a winch member at the bottom. Each rib has a different curve ratio from the others, and each wire has a different load from the others. The giant’s blink is supported by advanced technology that calculates and controls the loads, and by external wires powered by computers.

Photo: Koji Kobayashi

A retractable seating system removes the seats, that are placed at the edge of the field to enhance the feeling of being part of the soccer arena, to accommodate track events.

The elliptical roof opening runs along the north-south axis for the field to get proper sunlight exposure. The economical structure of the main beam arch, with perpendicular horizontal-running sub-beams, corresponds to the elliptical shape of the roof opening. The vastness of the site made this type of pipe-arch structure possible and also the most reasonable.

Photo: Koji Kobayashi

A slit is cut between the roof and the spectator seating to allow for natural ventilation in the summer, and to create a feeling of openness and a view of the mountains. The use of ultra-modern teflon membrane panels with 25% light-permeablity removes the need for artificial lighting during daylight hours.

Photo: Koji Kobayashi

A moving camera is placed on the main beam, the world’s first, to deliver dynamic images to the rest or the world.

Photo: Koji Kobayashi

Stadium, feature several facilities including a general fitness center, a training and lodging center, a botanical pool, 2 multi-purpose athletic fields, 2 soccer and rugby training fields, a sub-training field, a softball field, a public baseball field, 11 tennis courts, a throwing event practice field, a gate-ball field and an open track that can be used year-round because of the retractable roof feature.

Photo: Koji Kobayashi
Tea lounge on the first floor

Photo: Koji Kobayashi
Entrance lobby for the VIP room on the first floor

The Oita Stadium, chosen as an arena for the World Cup Games in 2002, will continue to grow striving to become a large-scale and extensive all-purpose sports park ready for the 2008 Second Tour of the Japanese Inter-Prefectural Athletic Competition.

Drawing courtesy Kisho Kurokawa Architect & Associates
First Floor Plan

Drawing courtesy Kisho Kurokawa Architect & Associates
Section

Sketch courtesy Kisho Kurokawa

Drawing courtesy Kisho Kurokawa Architect & Associates
Ceiling Plan

Client: Oita Prefecture
Full Postal Address: Yoko Matsuoka Oita-shi Oita Prefecture

Principle Use:
Soccer and Track and Field Arena; Multi-function Arena

Kisho Kurokawa architect & associates

KT Group
Structural Engineering, Mechanical & Electrical Engineering

Kisho Kurokawa architect & associates
Led by:
Kisho Kurokawa
Naotake Ueki
Yukio Yoshida
Ken Nishikawa
Kenichiro Tomita
Ken Nishikawa
Shiori Sugimura
Hoshina Atsushi
Kimihiko Ikeda
Noriko Umetsu
Eizo Takayama
Eizo Takayama
Daisuke Matsui
Shiori Sugimura

Takenaka Construction Kyushu Branch
Noriyoshi Arikado
Takashi Shiraki
Shoji Nakamura
Masashi Egami
Shinichiro Kikuchi
Shinichi Ishida
Eiji Anan
Takashi Miwa

Shinichiro Kikuchi
SATO BENEC
Takehiko Watanabe
Takayama Sogo Kogyo
Hiroyuki Mima

Structural Engineering:
KT Group
Hideyuki Yoshiya
Kazuya Tokitou
Hideyuki Narita
Yukihito Uonaga
Hisato Okuide
Toshihiro Kiyonaga
Tetsuya Masui
Hideyuki Narita
Uonaga Yukihito

Mechanical & Electrical Engineering:
KT Group
Hiromitsu Ogawa
Yasunari Fukuyama

Area:
SiteArea (Entire Park): 2,550,000.00
Building Area: 51,830.36
Total Floor Area: 92,882.08
Area for each floor:
3rd Floor: 6,185.52
2nd Floor: 10,473.89
1st Floor: 26,506.39
1st Level Basement : 8,448.68
2nd Level Basement: 4,267.60

Construction Schedule:
Design Period: 1996 - 1998
Construction Period: April 1998 - March 2001

Monographs
Kurokawa
Metabolism and Recent Work
Editor: Dennis Sharp

October 26, 2001

Kisho Kurokawa arcspace features





				Features
		Kisho Kurokawa Big Eye Stadium Oita Prefectural Sports Park Oita City, Japan Photo: Koji Kobayashi Photo: Koji Kobayashi "It might be just coincidence but we have a pineal gland in the brain that is said to be a degenerated eye-like organ. It seems that we had a third eye in our brain to look up the sky, rather than two eyes to see the world on the earth. Since people abandoned the universe to stay on the earth, the third eye became useless and degenerated. Seeing the Big Eye watching only the sky, such a thought came to my mind." Kisho Kurokawa Interview by Makoto Takahashi Sketch courtesy Kisho Kurokawa The gentle curves of the spherical design resemble the curves of the surrounding landscape. The choice of a sphere, an expression of abstract symbolism, enables the retractable roof to move along its surface. The retractable roofs are closed right above the spine, after gradually moving parallel up to the spine. They are pulled up with wires that have a winch member at the bottom. Each rib has a different curve ratio from the others, and each wire has a different load from the others. The giant’s blink is supported by advanced technology that calculates and controls the loads, and by external wires powered by computers. Photo: Koji Kobayashi Photo: Koji Kobayashi A retractable seating system removes the seats, that are placed at the edge of the field to enhance the feeling of being part of the soccer arena, to accommodate track events. The elliptical roof opening runs along the north-south axis for the field to get proper sunlight exposure. The economical structure of the main beam arch, with perpendicular horizontal-running sub-beams, corresponds to the elliptical shape of the roof opening. The vastness of the site made this type of pipe-arch structure possible and also the most reasonable. Photo: Koji Kobayashi Photo: Koji Kobayashi A slit is cut between the roof and the spectator seating to allow for natural ventilation in the summer, and to create a feeling of openness and a view of the mountains. The use of ultra-modern teflon membrane panels with 25% light-permeablity removes the need for artificial lighting during daylight hours. Photo: Koji Kobayashi A moving camera is placed on the main beam, the world’s first, to deliver dynamic images to the rest or the world. Photo: Koji Kobayashi Stadium, feature several facilities including a general fitness center, a training and lodging center, a botanical pool, 2 multi-purpose athletic fields, 2 soccer and rugby training fields, a sub-training field, a softball field, a public baseball field, 11 tennis courts, a throwing event practice field, a gate-ball field and an open track that can be used year-round because of the retractable roof feature. Photo: Koji Kobayashi Tea lounge on the first floor Photo: Koji Kobayashi Entrance lobby for the VIP room on the first floor The Oita Stadium, chosen as an arena for the World Cup Games in 2002, will continue to grow striving to become a large-scale and extensive all-purpose sports park ready for the 2008 Second Tour of the Japanese Inter-Prefectural Athletic Competition. Drawing courtesy Kisho Kurokawa Architect & Associates First Floor Plan Drawing courtesy Kisho Kurokawa Architect & Associates Section Sketch courtesy Kisho Kurokawa Drawing courtesy Kisho Kurokawa Architect & Associates Ceiling Plan Client: Oita Prefecture Full Postal Address: Yoko Matsuoka Oita-shi Oita Prefecture Principle Use: Soccer and Track and Field Arena; Multi-function Arena Kisho Kurokawa architect & associates KT Group Structural Engineering, Mechanical & Electrical Engineering Kisho Kurokawa architect & associates Led by: Kisho Kurokawa Naotake Ueki Yukio Yoshida Ken Nishikawa Kenichiro Tomita Ken Nishikawa Shiori Sugimura Hoshina Atsushi Kimihiko Ikeda Noriko Umetsu Eizo Takayama Eizo Takayama Daisuke Matsui Shiori Sugimura Takenaka Construction Kyushu Branch Noriyoshi Arikado Takashi Shiraki Shoji Nakamura Masashi Egami Shinichiro Kikuchi Shinichi Ishida Eiji Anan Takashi Miwa Shinichiro Kikuchi SATO BENEC Takehiko Watanabe Takayama Sogo Kogyo Hiroyuki Mima Structural Engineering: KT Group Hideyuki Yoshiya Kazuya Tokitou Hideyuki Narita Yukihito Uonaga Hisato Okuide Toshihiro Kiyonaga Tetsuya Masui Hideyuki Narita Uonaga Yukihito Mechanical & Electrical Engineering: KT Group Hiromitsu Ogawa Yasunari Fukuyama Area: SiteArea (Entire Park): 2,550,000.00 Building Area: 51,830.36 Total Floor Area: 92,882.08 Area for each floor: 3rd Floor: 6,185.52 2nd Floor: 10,473.89 1st Floor: 26,506.39 1st Level Basement : 8,448.68 2nd Level Basement: 4,267.60 Construction Schedule: Design Period: 1996 - 1998 Construction Period: April 1998 - March 2001 Monographs Kurokawa Metabolism and Recent Work Editor: Dennis Sharp October 26, 2001 Kisho Kurokawa arcspace features