Nendo's CoFuFun: A Playful Urban Square in Tenri, Japan

Nendo, the prolific design studio founded by Oki Sato in 2002, has completed its first large-scale architectural project: CoFuFun, a public square in Tenri, Nara Prefecture, Japan. The 6,000-square-meter space is shaped by white circular structures made from stacked prefabricated concrete disks, assembled on site. These elements vary in diameter and function, serving as benches, steps, enclosures for children's play, stages, and tables. The design draws inspiration from ancient Japanese burial mounds (kofun) and the surrounding mountain landscape. CoFuFun includes a café, shops, an info point, a playground, an open-air theater, and bicycle rental, catering to both locals and visitors arriving from the adjacent train station. The name combines "co" (from cooperation and community) with "fun," reflecting its aim to encourage interaction and conviviality. The term also evokes "Fufun," a Japanese word for a happy, unconscious hum. All furnishings were also designed by Nendo.