Genbudo Park / CASE-REAL

The rough rock surface has a large wavy pattern with countless ripples. A hard wall can be seen with hexagonal rock cross-sections in layers. "Genbu-do Park" in Toyooka City, located on the west side of Hyogo Prefecture, is a nature park where visitors can see the characteristic geological features called "columnar joints" that developed roughly 1.6 million years ago when the magma cooled and solidified. This project was a redevelopment plan for this park, which has been a scenic spot for many years, in conjunction with the transition to charging admission for visitors. The most discussed issue throughout the planning process was how to enable visitors to experience the power of the columnar joints, also known as "nature's sculptures". Another issue was the balance between the degree to which existing elements of the park should be retained and new elements should be added.