Nendo adds fun to the daily commute with a new Japanese station plaza

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The CoFuFun station plaza at Tenri Station in the Nara prefecture in the southwest region of Japan
The CoFuFun station plaza at Tenri Station in the Nara prefecture in the southwest region of Japan, designed by Nendo.
(Image credit: Daici Ano)

Possibly the best place in the world to be delayed for a train, the CoFuFun station plaza at Tenri Station in Japan, designed by Nendo, is an upbeat urban intervention and a new community hub for Tenri City in Nara prefecture. Designed like an over-sized crazy golf range, CoFuFun has a great sense of humour, yet also gets the job done.

The 6000 sq m plaza features a series of white circular structures, that serve as multi-functional pavilions hosting a café, shops, information kiosk, bike rental, a play area, an outdoor stage and a meeting area.

The orbiting concrete forms are also historically informed, referencing ancient Japanese burial structures 'cofun,' common to Nara which can be found dotted around the mountainous area surrounding the city.

A view of the plaza landscaping.

A view of the plaza landscaping.

(Image credit: Takumi Ota)

While playful, these contemporary interpretations of cofun are very conductive to public space, with the stepped layers welcoming all manner of purposes from seating, to steps, to roofs, to shelves for products in shops, fences, or simply delightful sculptural forms for weaving around on your commute.

Instead of a gateway, this new station plaza is a destination in itself. It takes on board its tasks, to provide space for people to wait, meet or waste time, yet activates its potential to bring people together and revitalize the community.

Nendo couldn’t resist a bit of word play when naming the project, which we can relate to at W*. Blending Japanese lexicon with international appeal, ‘CoFuFun’ refers to the ancient cofun, as well as the Japanese word funfun, which translates as ‘a happy, unconscious humming’. ‘co’ brings in ideas of ‘co’-operation and ‘co’-mmunity and well, hopefully we all know how to have a bit of ‘fun’.

A view of the plaza landscaping.

Nendo’s circular plan echoes the natural scenery of the area and the ancient Japanese ’cofun’ structures found in the area.

(Image credit: Takumi Ota)

An aerial view of Tenri Station plaza.

An aerial view of Tenri Station plaza.

(Image credit: Takumi Ota)

A cafe located within one of Nendo’s white concrete circular pavilions.

A cafe located within one of Nendo’s white concrete circular pavilions.

(Image credit: Takumi Ota)

A meeting place is surrounded by a stepped seating area.

A meeting place is surrounded by a stepped seating area.

(Image credit: Takumi Ota)

Entry to the cofun-like structures are playful and conceptual.

Entry to the cofun-like structures are playful and conceptual. 

(Image credit: Daici Ano)

multi-functional steps for adult and children

Stepped levels of the concrete cofun have multi-functional purposes as steps, benches and places for children, and adults, to play.

(Image credit: Daici Ano)

Inside one of Nendo’s contemporary cofun structures.

Inside one of Nendo’s contemporary cofun structures.

(Image credit: Takumi Ota)

INFORMATION

For more information, visit the Nendo website

Harriet Thorpe

Harriet Thorpe is a writer, journalist and editor covering architecture, design and culture, with particular interest in sustainability, 20th-century architecture and community. After studying History of Art at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and Journalism at City University in London, she developed her interest in architecture working at Wallpaper* magazine and today contributes to Wallpaper*, The World of Interiors and Icon magazine, amongst other titles. She is author of The Sustainable City (2022, Hoxton Mini Press), a book about sustainable architecture in London, and the Modern Cambridge Map (2023, Blue Crow Media), a map of 20th-century architecture in Cambridge, the city where she grew up.