water domes by toshihiko suzuki and yuki sugihara

a steel pillar sprays an hemisphere of water over a membrane pool with a fiberglass reinforced plastic floor. the water dome project consisted in creating hydrophilic spaces of various sizes throughout japan.

a 6-meter-wide large-scaled dome marked its debut in tokyo back in 1999 and, since then, it has been exhibited in osaka, yokohama, fukuoka, aichi, ibaraki as well as in sapporo. it has attracted more than 1,200,000 visitors. to build the water dome, about 10,000,000 yen of costs are required. until now, the production has been sponsored by companies or advertising agencies. idea by architect toshihiko suzuki in collaboration with artist yuki sugihara.

from the water dome installations to a product idea – a flower vase fountain

ikebana water dome flower vase, 2008 design by toshihiko suzuki in collaboration with yuki sugihara

the domy’s transparent fluid membrane is created by a circulating water fountain.

‘mizunova’ water dome cafe, illustration by yuki sugihara

‘mizunova’, a campus cafe with table display water domes at touhoku university of art and design, 2005

toshihiko suzuki established toshihiko suzuki architect & associates (atelier OPA) in 1990. he is currently professor of design systems at the tokyo metropolitan university.