【FOCUS IT.] Goldwyn's new "koto" project in Toyama. Goldwyn's new project in Toyama, "Play Earth Park Naturing Forest," is now in full view!

Goldwin is a leader in Japanese outdoor fashion. The company, which owns many brands such as THE NORTH FACE and HELLY HANSEN, is starting a "koto" business in Toyama, where the company was founded. The newly built facility, "Play Earth Park Naturing Forest," will offer camping, farming, sports activities, and a variety of other activities to learn from nature. In April this year, a press conference was held to discuss the project and the project members, led by "Goldwind" President Takao Watanabe, shared their thoughts on the project.

Edit_Tsuji, Ryo Muramatsu

A town where the spirit of valuing mountains, forests, water, and nature dwells.

Goldwyn" President Takao Watanabe

In order to expand the possibilities of people and nature, it is useful to use our human technology, imagination, to imagine and implement innovations that will make people and nature better together.

The press conference began with a speech by President Watanabe. The monitor showed Claude Monet's "The Field of Argenteuil with Poplar Trees," and he explained the concept of the project: "I want to create a beautiful time and landscape where people and nature exist together," and "I started this project with the idea of designing a place that can transcend more than 100 years and stimulate people's curiosity. We started this project with the idea of designing a place that can stimulate people's curiosity beyond 100 years," he explains.

Mikio Tanaka, Mayor of Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture

The next speaker was Mikio Tanaka, Mayor of Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture. It was impressive to hear him speak with such power about the richness of nature spreading in Nanto City and the lives and culture of the people nurtured there.

Nanto City is 670 square kilometers in size. Upstream, water flows from Hakusan Mountain and once it accumulates in a place called Sakuraga-ike Pond. From there, it flows back into the Tonami Plain, and about 400 square meters of fields are cultivated with the water. Such a place is called Sakuraga-ike, where we plan to open our business.

The press conference venue was staged using thinned wood from Sakuraga-ike Pond.

Nanto City is a place where water from the mountains enriches the plains and where nature and human life intersect. The mayor himself says, "Nanto is a town where the spirit of valuing mountains, forests, water, and nature resides.

Shuichi Murata, Takano Landscape Planning, Inc.

And of Sakuraga-ike, which was chosen as the development site, Mr. Shuichi Murata of "Takano Landscape Planning," which will produce the entire facility, says, "It is located in a place where the Tonami Plain spreads out on the north side and the natural mountain range can be seen when looking the other way, making it a place where people's activities and nature meet," he adds.

The proposed site has "a large water surface, undulating mountains, forests, rice fields, and fields," he says, "and a variety of natural environments. Because of the complex topography with ridges and valleys, light and wind exposure differs from place to place.

Overall image of Play Earth Park Naturing Forest.

What was impressive was that he said, "No matter where you turn in all directions, you will see a beautiful landscape. Mr. Murata concluded his talk by saying, "I am aiming to create a landscape that creates the feeling that you are playing with the earth just by walking around this place.

Dan Pearson, English garden designer.

Dan Pearson, a well-known garden designer, designed the garden.

The garden is a special space that connects people and nature, a place where we can feel the flow of living things, the seasons, and our own existence," he said.

In this project, "We want to transform the land into a place where nature can enter and visitors can feel a part of nature," he said, referring to the "72 seasons," which are rooted in Japanese culture, and explaining, "We will create places throughout the building where visitors can feel the small changes in nature that come every five days. He promised to create new landscapes by combining the dynamism of nature with detailed human design.

A place to enjoy nature using all five senses and gain new insights.

What is of interest here are the buildings that will be built at Play Earth Park Naturing Forest and their functions. The 40-hectare site is said to include a campground, a playground that takes advantage of the terrain, a nature observation tower, cottages in the forest, villas surrounded by a pond, and an activity center that will create connections with local residents. In addition, agriculture, food, lodging, and activities will be linked to provide a memorable experience that will stimulate the imagination and curiosity of visitors, an unprecedented initiative. The designers of the project also gathered at the press conference.

Mr. Michiyuki Sakakida, Shinsozai Research Institute

Inspired by the scattered villages of Nanto, the villa is a space where visitors can enjoy time to watch the beautiful expressions of nature at different times of the day, such as sunsets, starry skies, and rain, and listen to the sounds of flowers, insects, and birds.

The architect in charge of this project was Mr. Michiyuki Sakakida of Shinsozai Research Institute, who is also known for his work on the Enoura Weather Station in Odawara. The "Villa" was designed with the direction of the sun in mind, so that visitors can feel the movement of the sun as well, as he says, "I wanted the architecture to be a device that allows visitors to experience where they are located.

Sakakida says, "I want to create architecture that makes people aware of their own existence while at the same time allowing them to feel it.

Lina Gottme, architect.

The observatory with a spiral staircase that comes to the center of the facility will have spaces for nature observation in each direction. On this top floor, you will be able to enjoy a panoramic view of the Tonami Plain, and on the basement floor, you will be able to observe the roots and insects in the soil through the glass. And you can get in touch with nature while staying in cottages that will be built in the surrounding forest.

These were designed by Lina Gottmeh, who was also in charge of the Bahrain Pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo. The observatory, which "looks like a tree and the rhythm of the wood reminds us of the cycle of life," and the cottages, "a space where visitors can experience the beauty of nature's formations based on the theme of living in the trees," will provide a place for visitors to relax and enjoy themselves.

Architect Motosuke Bandai

The theme of the park area's playgrounds is "Releasing the Wildness in Children." It will be designed so that children can wander into caves, climb rocky mountains, and naturally create play as they converse with the terrain.

The person in charge of this project is Motosuke Bandai, who worked on the "Ishinomaki Pavilion," a reconstruction project after the Great East Japan Earthquake. He said, "I don't want this to be like a so-called playground facility," and "I want to make sure that rain and fallen leaves entering the building will also lead to play," and expressed his enthusiasm for creating an experience that is continuous with nature.

Maria Lisogorskaya of the architectural collective "Assemble".

The British architectural group "Assemble" was in charge of the camp site. Here, we offer a new kind of camping experience, where visitors learn about the agriculture and crafts that are rooted in Toyama, and how they interact with nature.

The terrain here was once rice paddies. Each of the several camp sites that will be set up will grow different plants, and visitors will be able to gain knowledge of agriculture and crafts. The construction using local wood, clay, rice husks, glaze, and other materials will provide a camping experience that blends nature and local culture, which is very interesting.

Maria Lisogorskaya, one of the members of Assemble, explains it this way. Architecture in nature does not just exist, but involves the whole act of moving, shifting, cooking, etc. We wanted to create a place that would be connected to workshops where people could grow plants and create something with them. We wanted a place that would also lead to workshops where people could grow plants and create something with them."

Architect Norihisa Kawashima

Next is the Plaza Building, which connects the Park and the Garden. This will be the entrance to the facility and will house stores selling clothing and gear for playing in nature and Nanto's food culture.

Norihisa Kawashima, who was in charge of the project, emphasized the importance of coexistence with nature, "We placed the existing trees so that they would not be damaged. The building is designed to receive light, wind, and rain," he told us.

It is also noteworthy that the Plaza building, which is constructed to maximize effectiveness with a minimum of materials, is the first building in Japan to obtain the Living Building Challenge, a certification program for sustainable construction that is considered the most stringent in the world.

Takeyuki Saida and Ayumi Honze of Honze Saida Architects

The activity center, which will serve as a base for outdoor play, will be built on the waterside of Sakuraga Pond. An outdoor store and café/bakery will be adjacent to the center, and visitors will be able to enjoy activities from a deck connected to the pond. The center will also provide opportunities for local residents to visit the pond on a daily basis and deepen their understanding of local nature through play and experience.

Ayumi Honze and Takeyuki Saida of the Toyama-based Honze Saida Architectural Design Office were in charge of this location. They concluded, "I think it would be wonderful if it also functions as a place for Nanto citizens, the elite of naturing," impressing the audience with the importance they place on their ties to the community.

The construction of "Play Earth Park Naturing Forest," for which many plans are being planned, is scheduled to start in May of this year, with building work to begin this fall. Hearing all these stories makes us look forward to the opening of the park in early summer 2027.

What kind of fun and learning will Goldwyn's new business, which aims to coexist in harmony with nature, offer us? We at Huinamu will continue to follow the trend.