Japan’s First Timber Stadium Built to Be Taken Apart and Reused

Fukushima, Japan – September 8, 2025 – In a forward-thinking move blending sustainability, tradition, and regional resilience, Fukushima United FC, alongside Japanese design studio VUILD, has unveiled plans for a groundbreaking all-timber stadium. Set to become the nation’s first circular wooden stadium, this 5,000-seat venue is envisioned as a beacon of community renewal in the wake of the 2011 earthquake and nuclear disaster.

A Circular Icon Built on Local Roots

The project, entirely crafted from locally sourced timber, is designed for full disassembly and reuse, promoting a circular economy in architectural practice.

“The stadium will be built using wood, with layers of lumber sourced from Fukushima Prefecture. Each component is designed to be disassembled and reused, promoting the recycling of local resources.”

Tradition Meets Modern Design

Drawing inspiration from Japan’s centuries-old Shikinen Sengu, the ritual rebuilding of shrines, the design centers around three cycles: resources, community, and craftsmanship. Local residents and club members will actively participate in construction, celebrating communal craftsmanship and instilling new skills through reforestation and woodworking education.

Human Scale, Innovative Structure

Instead of one imposing stand, the stadium is structured into four distinct volumes, each under 3,000 m², with individual entrances that foster a human-scale experience.

The roof’s structural system employs hyperbolic paraboloid (HP) shells, crafted from bundled, small cross-section timber. Above these, catenary‐suspended timber members form a triangular roofscape, referencing the steep thatched rooftops of Ōuchi-juku, a historic Fukushima village. This design achieves long spans and cantilevers with efficient, lightweight construction.

Climate-Responsive and Regenerative

Responding to Fukushima’s basin climate, the stadium integrates passive environmental strategies, the roof provides summer shade and blocks winter winds, while the facades channel breezes in summer and insulate in winter. It also includes innovative water and snow management: rainwater collection and filtration, alongside snow storage to cool the structure in summer, minimizing reliance on mechanical systems.

A Sustainable Vision Forward

Fukushima United FC has a bold environmental goal:

“Ultimately, we will strive to achieve certification under the Living Building Challenge, one of the world’s most rigorous environmental standards for sustainability and regenerative design.”

Though details on the delivery timeline remain pending, the vision reflects a deeply rooted ambition: to create a stadium that is not only functional but regenerative—a structure that rebuilds culture, community, and environment in equal measure.