This March, I was invited back to Japan by Nagaoka Meichiku bamboo studio to develop design and execution of a floral display for designer Akito Yamamoto as part of Awaji Flower Festival 2025 at Awaji Yumebutai (or Dream Stage ) an architectural complex designed by Tadao Ando on Awaji Island.
Together with Hyogo Prefectural Awaji Landscape Planning and Horticulture Academy students we built the floral installation over the course of ten days. Their tutors help was crucial in gathering materials locally (many from the school) and trips to nurseries to source plants for the display. Full team can be seen below celebrating together with the finished installation and with several shots documenting the making too.
Awaji Yumebutai or Dreamstage was planned for a former quarry site dug sore by human power. Tadao Ando re-envisaged these plans following a devastating earthquake in 1995 knowing then that fault lines ran across the site. The one hundred stepped garden or Hyakudanen is a tribute to the souls lost to the earthquake. Whilst it was not in bloom when I was there, its significance (spanning 30m in height across sloping terrain) can be felt, as well as the structural planting framing the architecture at this bio-diverse yet concrete site.
It is such an unexpected joy to visit Japan again, following invitation by Aki and Akito to collaborate again (after my initial bamboo training and help with an installation of theirs in 2024 - see previous post) or ‘destiny’ as Akito puts it. I would like to share some more sights of the Island, including the over one hundred year old house where I am staying and dining room filled with students for pancake day.
