Night view of the Univer Dome. It is a dome-shaped structure located in the western part of Kobe city. It is a public space used by residents, workers, students, kids and passersby.
The roof of the dome from a distance and on a bleak day.
Pillars of the dome seen from a distance.
Hi fellow hivers and fellow members of the Architecture + Design community. I hope your weekend is going great. Mine has been a little bit busy but also a bit restful. I like the mix. While resting, I enjoyed some quesadillas and a simple fruit plate. They left me feeling for more.
In this post, I’ll share with you a part of Kobe city and a little history of certain structures that exist.
Summer Universaide (World University Games) were held in the city in August 1985. The event united and re-united many nations. About 2,800 athletes from 106 countries participated. There are several monuments, buildings and structures that were created for or in memory of the events that were held around that time.
This post will highlight a few of the structures and what they look like today. The structure of focus will be the Univer Dome which is a multi-purpose space used mainly by members of a community in a western area of Kobe city. I decided to write about it because I have been to that area many times but recently learned more about the history of the structures and the interesting architecture that exist there today. Stay with me as I share more about them. Let’s together look at details of the designs.
To read more about the Kobe Universaide (1985),click the link below:
The Dome
The dome is one of the monuments of the Kobe Universaide. The floor area is 1588 square meters, so is the building area. Its height is 15.8 meters. It’s a partial steel structure with reinforced concrete construction. The link below provides this information and more in Japanese.
https://www.campus-square.jp/infomation/
This is a lovely and well-utilized community space. I’ve passed by and seen concerts, flea markets, festivals, food sales and so on. I’ve seen university students and individuals practicing their dance moves there. It’s great seeing them move to the rhythms and beats of reggae, hip-hop, K-pop (Korean popular music), J-pop (Japanese popular music) and so on. I’ve stopped by and even felt my knees and hips shyly move to some of the beats. The open space creates an openness that I admire and love to see. Should I pass and stop by often enough, I might end up doing a few flips and headstands. That however, would change and could possibly spoil the history of the location. (Please insert some laughs here)
Japanese summer festival held under the dome. Participants are dressed In yukatta (similar to a kimono but for summer).
Features of the Dome (Univerdome)
Sign with the name of the structure.
Google-translated version of the sign
Pillars,Tiles and Ceiling
The structure boasts many pillars, steps and a variety of tiles. Some of the tiles on the floor match designs in the ceiling. The inner roof or ceiling seems to be a network of metal and small details of lighting can be seen. The lighting is used to illuminate the area at night and to create different effects for events.
Along the perimeters of the dome is a shopping area, coffee shops, a bus terminal, a taxi rotary, a small park with seats and greenery (where birds sometimes play), a nearby train station, vending machines and so on. It (the dome) is conveniently located.
Shots of Pillars:
Views of some of the pillars at day and at night.
Designs of Tiles:
Design of the Ceiling/Roof:
While looking around the area, I noticed sections of the dome from which electrical equipment would be operated or controlled. I also saw a drainage area and rules governing the use of space.
This kind of infrastructure I believe, facilitates and encourages social interaction among users of the space.
Other Monuments Close to the Dome
This monument showcases a message from Tatsue Miyazaki, who was mayor of Kobe at the time. Though it’s a bit faded, his message still resonates today. His message can be seen more clearly below:
“Young athletes from 106 countries, east and west, north and south, gathered to take part in the largest Universaide Games in history.
Some came from war-torn countries, others from drought-stricken areas, supported by the Unitan Fund, they overcame adversity to assemble in Kobe, test their skills and deepen international exchange. It was truly an event befitting International Youth Year. With the cooperation with the citizens of Kobe, volunteers, related organizations and all participants, the Games engendered much drama and established outstanding new records.
The Kobe Universaide Games have ended but the powerful impressions left by the Games linger in our memories. The hand and footprints of the gold medalists remain preserved here for eternity”. (Words from Mayor Tatsue Miyazaki)-March 1986
Handprints and footprints of gold medalists of Kobe Universaide 1985
Google-translated version of these sections of the monument.
*This monument showcases names and signatures of athletes that participated in the Kobe Universaide(1985). It too is a bit faded but still stands.
Having learned more about the history of the structures ,it’s even more interesting to see individuals enjoying activities by the dome. It’s a lovely community space and a cheerful community.
What do you like or think about the architecture of the structures presented here?
Thank you for reading my post. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. 😃
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Greetings @fruityfruitz. The Univer Dome, with its significant historical event, is definitely an iconic Japanese landmark to remember and pay our tribute to! Again, Japanese attention to architectural details is simply astonishing as they never fail to emphasize them in their marvelous built environments. Impressive communal space indeed! 😊
By the way, may we remind you to engage with the other authors in our beloved community? Thank you for giving this action your immediate priority as this is a crucial criteria for curation. 👍
😃Thank you @storiesoferne. The Univer Dome is indeed an impressive communal space. It’s interesting looking at the different details of the design.
I appreciate the reminder to engage with fellow authors in the community. It’s great seeing architecture from different parts of the world. Thanks always and enjoy the rest of your weekend. 🎶
Indeed, you'll benefit from valuable exposure by socializing more with others in our tribe and the rest of Hive. 👍 Happy weekend @fruityfruitz. Enjoy! 😊
😃I agree. Happy to be a part of the tribe and hive.
Wow, what a beautiful thing you show us here, it's a work of art and at night it looks spectacular. So much detail well thought out and captured! Thank you for sharing this work and the detail of the Japanese language.
😃Thank you for stopping by @ylaffittep. Capturing images is a wonderful thing. It gives us detailed perspectives of the structures we see and often just pass by. The night view of the Univer Dome is indeed spectacular. I appreciate you taking the time to check it out and also for taking us on a stroll through the streets of Havana. Blessings.🎶
It has been a pleasure to browse through your publication. I look forward to seeing more of your excellent work. Greetings from Havana. 🤗
😃Muchas gracias. Espero visitar la Habana alguna vez.
Havana awaits you, dear.
😃🎶I'll be rumba-ing my way in. Lol
Congratulations @fruityfruitz! We are delighted to inform you that your outstanding publication was specially selected to be part of our Curated Content Catalog and was awarded SILVER MARK in Architecture Anthology™ 18. More power!
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😃Thank you @aplusd. I’m happy to have been awarded the silver mark. Re-visiting the Univer Dome to dance would have been a great way to celebrate and utilize the communal space. Congrats to all other authors mentioned and awarded.
😃Thank you. The dance moves seem to be dome-inspired. Let’s hope there aren’t too many of those structures out there…unless the world is ready for a dance revolution. 😂
Dancing and the performing arts are excellent therapies! And merging them with social activities in community centers like your featured architecture is certainly a fulfilling experience. So yes, our world can always benefit from dance revolutions. 👍😀
That's true but we also have to take into consideration, how well such facilities are maintained and whether they can accommodate the grandeur of such activities and performances. 😃
Wow! Thank you dear @fruityfruitz for your valuable contributions, well done! 👍 We hope to see your actual dance moves soon, lol. 🤣
The structure of the roof has attracted my attention. It is translucent foil that has on top of the sawdust, isn't it? Great because the light passes through and illuminates everything.
On the other hand, the decoration of the floors is very nice. I like the images of animals.
😃Thank you for stopping by @tibaire. I find the roof to be of interest as well. Yes, it’s translucent and light passes through. I wish I knew more about the actual materials used. Now you make me even more interested in it. Haha! The shape of the roof itself is outstanding, can be spotted from a certain distance and serves as a landmark.
Have a great day/evening. 🎶
Greetings @fruityfruitz, no doubt a great architectural construction, I love the dome looks impressive at night the play of lights make it look splendid, the detail of the mosaics has any relation with the history of the place?
Happy beginning of the week!
😃Hi @belkyscabrera. Thank you for stopping by. I love the night view of the dome as well. I heard that the dome was one of the locations for awarding medals at the Games of 1985. You’ve asked a good question. I’m sure there’s meaning to what’s represented in the mosaics. I’m not sure about the relation to the history of the location. I did pick up a representation of the hydrangea flower. It’s the official flower of Kobe city and many beautiful ones of various hues can be seen around the city in June. It would be lovely to find out the significance of other pieces represented. Even without full understanding, it seems the design was well-thought of and well-laid.
Thanks for visiting. Have a great week. 🎶