Gateway to Onomichi

Weaving Maritime History, Community Engagement, Carpentry Techniques, and Seaside Typologies in an Urban Gesture
Oonagh Davis
Harvard GSD Studio, Spring 2023

Onomichi is not only a port city but also a gateway to the Geiyo Archipelago in the Seto Inland Sea. A ferry terminal building, including a boatbuilding facility and a sailing school, will establish a stronger connection with the islands. The building will also contribute to the urban fabric of the city by its form and its location across from the railway station and bus terminal. Its timber structure explores the spatial characteristics and similarities between architecture and boatbuilding. The terminal’s roof acts as a public space, offering views of the city, the waterfront, and the panorama beyond. The idea of an urban infrastructure is replicated at a much smaller scale on the hillside with a carpentry workshop and tool library for the community.

The project creates a trajectory connecting Mukaishima Island (bottom) to the new ferry terminal on the mainland, to the train station, and to the hillside

With the reintroduction of a hybrid ferry terminal and a school for teaching Japanese boat fabrication and sailing, the project is both a symbolic and critical addition to Onomichi’s civic infrastructure for mobility

The ferry terminal comprises a variety of programs related to both tourism and the community

Text and images © Oonagh Davis, 2023

This project was conducted as part of “Revitalizing Onomichi: Architecture, Community, Territory,” a spring 2023 studio at the Harvard GSD. Please click here to read more about this studio and see other projects.

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