in 2015, the japanese government chose kengo kuma to design the new national stadium in tokyo, the arena which will form the centerpiece of the city?s 2020 olympic games. the project had been controversially taken away from iraqi-british architect zaha hadid, amid concerns of increasing costs. kuma saw off competition from compatriot toyo ito, who had also presented his vision for the venue.
 
now, with the olympics on the horizon, designboom visited the site to document the completed stadium and its surroundings.

image © designboom (also main image)
 
 
the stadium was officially opened in december 2018 with a ceremony attended by japanese prime minister shinz? abe, tokyo governor yuriko koike, and architect kengo kuma. in designing the venue, kuma wanted to place a strong emphasis on environmental awareness. with that in mind, it was important that the stadium fit in with the surrounding nature including the large green space close by known as the outer garden of the meiji jingu shrine. consequently, the architect conceived the building as a ?living tree?.
image © designboom
 
 
the façade consists of overlapping, multi-layered eaves made of wood gathered from japan?s 47 prefectures while more than 47,000 medium and small-sized trees have been planted around the stadium. according to the organizers, accessible seating has been distributed on all tiers and floors of the interior, which will ensure visibility and comfort for wheelchair users. meanwhile, natural a...