About the artwork

The Matsudai area (formerly Matsudai Town) is located deep in the mountains of Niigata Prefecture. Summers are hot and humid, while winters are covered in thick layers of snow, often reaching depths of over 3 meters.Nōbutai is situated between the Shibumi River and the Hokuhoku Line, adjacent to Matsudai Station. This area, once filled with small rice paddies, is gradually being transformed into a park. By suspending the building in the air, the space beneath it can serve as a snow-free zone in winter and a cool, shaded plaza in summer. At the same time, this center becomes clearly visible from the town side across the railroad tracks.A rocky mountain landscape has been created on the rooftop. It is also a “landscape of force” born from the structural necessity of the leg-like bridges. This artificial “ice” rooftop landscape provides an attractive playground and an observation deck from which to view the mountains and artworks. It may also remind summer visitors of Matsudai’s winter, when the town is buried beneath masses of snow.