Public Meeting Report: the Japanese Garden North Wall and Pavilion Project

By Niall Dunne

The Original Drawing of the Pavilion. Juki Iida called it “Club House.”

On the evening of Thursday, November 16, the Arboretum Foundation and Seattle Parks and Recreation co-hosted a public meeting at the Graham Visitors Center focused on the Japanese Garden North Wall and Pavilion Project. Representatives from Berger Partnership and Hoshide Wanzer Architects presented design plans for the project, which will reconstruct the crumbling stone wall at the north end of the pond, modify the pathways in this area to improve accessibility, and add a new pavilion-like structure that was originally envisioned by the Garden’s designer, Juki Iida, back in 1959, but never realized.

Arboretum Foundation executive director Jane Stonecipher introduced Bob Hoshide, who’s firm was involved with the design of the Japanese Garden Gatehouse in 2008. Bob outlined the goals of the North Wall and Structure Project, which include providing “an overlook with a panoramic view of the Garden to enhance the visitor experience” and a gathering space for educational and cultural programs, as well as special events. Another goal is “to create a facility that reflects the design and sensitivity of the Japanese Garden, from the careful treatment of the site to the character of the structure and materials used.”

Public Meeting at the Graham Visitors Center

Bob then introduced Professor Ken Oshima of the UW Department of Architecture, who is an advisor on the project. Ken talked about some of the Japanese design principles that are being used in the articulation of the space, including classic techniques such as “hide and reveal” and “borrowed scenery.”

Next up, Andy Mitton of the Berger Partnership talked about elements of the landscape design for the project, including the improved pathways, a new outdoor “moon terrace” with built-in wood benches, and a new water feature that will help disguise the traffic noise coming from adjacent Lake Washington Boulevard.

Finally, Kenji Hoshide of Hoshide Wanzer discussed the design of the proposed garden pavilion (called the “club house” by Iida) and its floor plan. The wooden structure, with movable glass walls on the pond-facing side, measures in at about twice the size of the Tateuchi Community Room in the Garden Gatehouse. It incorporates traditional Japanese environmental design principles, such as natural ventilation and a roof that sheds water back to the Garden.

The designers answered questions from the meeting attendees and gathered feedback on the potential uses of the structure. Thanks to everyone who attended the meeting!

Niall Dunne is a writer and editor at Arboretum Foundation.