Mountain viewpoints often condense the landscape into a single moment: arrive, take in the view, photograph it, and leave. However, at Ryuoo Mountain Resort, the SORA Stairway transforms this moment into an experience filled with anticipation and rhythm. Instead of simply viewing the summit from a platform, visitors reach it by climbing, which gradually alters their relationship with the mountain, the sky, and the surrounding heights.

Situated 1,770 meters above sea level, this structure is part of Ryuoo Mountain Resort's plan to redefine its identity beyond just a winter destination. The summit is renowned for the sea of clouds that often gathers below, and the resort is working to create new attractions that encourage visitors to return during the warmer months. The SORA Stairway allows visitors to engage with this natural phenomenon in a way that can only be truly appreciated by physically moving through it.

The client envisioned an observation tower that would evoke the imaginative essence of the beanstalk from "Jack and the Beanstalk." TAKATO TAMAGAMI ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN translated this familiar image into a spiral staircase that appears to wrap around a central trunk. This design provides the climb with a quiet sense of adventure while keeping the structure open enough for visitors to fully appreciate the mountain's beauty. The experience begins with a narrow bridge across the steep terrain. This short crossing marks a clear departure from the resort's everyday circulation. Ahead, the stair rises around its central column; beyond it, the summit opens to weather, distance and sky.

The first steps remain close to the column, giving climbers a stable point of reference. Higher up, the spiral begins to widen. The risers gradually disappear, more of the landscape enters the gaps between the steps, and the climber becomes increasingly aware of the open air. This changing geometry gives the ascent its emotional character. The feeling of exposure does not arrive suddenly. It develops with each turn as the stair moves further from its support and the ground becomes less visually present. Curiosity slowly gives way to exhilaration.

For visitors, this journey provides a personal viewing experience. Children might be reminded of the fairy-tale image of a beanstalk, while others may concentrate on the thrill of climbing above the mountain's edge. Although everyone follows the same path to the summit, the changing clouds, light, and wind guarantee that no two ascents are experienced in exactly the same way. At the top, a semicircular landing opens up to the surrounding ridges. When conditions are favourable, a sea of clouds stretches below, giving the impression that the mountain is floating above a second horizon. Visitors find themselves suspended between solid ground and shifting weather, with a vast landscape extending beyond the stair itself.

The structure's lightness is key to this experience. Its narrow frame allows the sky to remain visible through the stairs, while the spiral serves as a dynamic line against the mountain. People climbing, pausing, and gazing outward become part of the landscape's ever-changing beauty. Though the experience seems simple, the construction was complex. With no roads to the summit, all structural components had to be transported via a gondola. The size and weight of these elements were dictated by the gondola, the steep slope, and the lack of lifting equipment.

From the beginning, architects, structural engineers, local contractors, and metal fabricators collaborated to break the stair into manageable parts that could be safely produced, transported, and assembled. The site's constraints seamlessly informed the design, allowing the organic spiral to maintain its buildable logic without compromising its sense of movement. SORA Stairway offers visitors more than just a scenic viewpoint; it heightens awareness of the journey to the vista. From the initial narrow crossing to the supportive central column, the widening spiral, and the final release into the sky, the experience becomes a memory shaped by movement, anticipation, and the unique atmosphere of that day. For Ryuoo Mountain Resort, it adds an attraction that draws visitors beyond the winter season.

PEGGY'S EDITOR'S NOTE (2026 Sky Design Awards Editorial Jury)

In contemporary mountain tourism, the "summit experience" has evolved into a moment of reflection and appreciation: visitors arrive, take in the breathtaking views, capture memories in photographs, and then descend, often feeling a deeper connection to the surrounding natural beauty. The SORA Stairway challenges this trend by emphasizing a sensory journey. Tamagami recognizes that the value of the view is earned through the experience of the journey itself, making the journey the main attraction.

What fascinates me the most is the project’s underlying intelligence. Beneath the staircase's ethereal and floating appearance lies a remarkable feat of disciplined engineering. The architects have managed to achieve a delicate balance where the construction challenges- such as steep terrain, the absence of heavy machinery, and the reliance on lift logistics- have led to a refinement of form rather than a compromise of design intent.

Takato Tamagami has created a masterclass in site-specific intervention. By incorporating the "beanstalk" metaphor, the design is both whimsical and structurally sound. It captures the imagination without overshadowing the landscape, allowing the mountain to remain the central focus while the architecture acts as a lens through which to appreciate it. We finally learn to see it. It is, quite simply, an elegant meditation on altitude.

EDITOR'S REVIEW

The SORA Stairway transforms the act of climbing into a choreographed experience, elevating it beyond just a practical task. Its real architectural strength comes from how it influences the climber’s emotions. By connecting the first steps to a central column, it offers a reassuring sense of stability. As climbers ascend, the design gently shifts, removing risers and expanding the spiral to create a sense of progressive exposure. This unique approach allows the structure’s geometry to guide and enhance human feelings throughout the journey.

The design also tackles challenging site constraints with impressive skill. Instead of hiding the limitations of gondola-based transportation and manual assembly, the architects wove these challenges into the project's essence. Breaking down the components serves not only as a construction method but also as an artistic choice, endowing the stairway with a delicate, skeletal quality. The final result feels thoughtfully arranged, harmonizing with the sky and clouds, and emphasizing the experience of the ascent over simply reaching the top.

DRAWING AND SPATIAL ANALYSIS

SORA Stairway is located in the summit area of Ryuoo Mountain Resort at an elevation of 1,770 metres. A bridge-like approach crosses a steep difference in level and leads towards the central column. The spiral stair begins near the column and varies in diameter as it rises. Risers gradually disappear, and the upper flight moves further from the support. A semicircular landing forms the observation platform at the top, opening towards the mountain, sky and frequent sea-cloud conditions. No road reaches the site. Structural components were sized for gondola transport, manual handling and assembly without conventional lifting equipment.

ORIGINAL DESIGNER SUBMISSION — VERBATIM

RYUOO MOUTAIN RESORT SORA Stairway

Standing at an elevation of 1,770 meters, this observation tower is located in the summit area of Ryuoo Mountain Resort. Originally operated as a ski resort, Ryuoo Mountain Resort has been undergoing a strategic transformation to promote year-round use, particularly during the off-season. Capitalizing on the site’s unique characteristic—an impressive 62% occurrence rate of sea clouds visible below the summit—the resort has invested in the development of observation terraces and the renovation of restaurants, aiming to enhance visitor appeal during the spring and summer seasons.

Within this broader initiative, the observation tower was planned as a new focal point to further attract visitors. The client requested an observation tower with a narrative quality—something that would naturally invite people to climb it, much like the “beanstalk” in the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk.

In response, we proposed a spiral staircase abstracted from the image of vines entwining a great tree. The diameter of the spiral is not constant but varies along the ascent, creating an organic, dynamic form while also introducing variation into the experience of climbing itself.

The approach from the entrance to the central column spans a steep change in elevation, crossing it via retaining walls and presenting a bridge-like structure. This segment functions as a boundary between the everyday and the extraordinary—a threshold into another realm.

From there, visitors ascend the spiral steps attached to the column, where a temporary sense of stability is established. As one continues upward, the risers gradually disappear and the spiral diameter expands. As the staircase pulls away from the column, a growing sense of floating and exhilaration emerges, culminating in the ascent to the top platform.

The uppermost level forms a semicircular landing, offering panoramic views of the surrounding sky and mountain landscape. Under favorable conditions, visitors are greeted by a vast sea of clouds spreading endlessly below, allowing them to immerse themselves in an ever-changing, dreamlike scenery.

The realization of this project involved numerous challenges. As no access road exists at the site, all materials had to be transported by suspending them from the ski resort’s gondola, significantly limiting the size of deliverable components. In addition, the steep slope, lack of lifting equipment, and other severe construction constraints required the subdivision and weight reduction of structural elements.

To address these challenges, we formed a team at an early stage comprising structural engineers, a local construction company, and a metal fabrication firm. Through close collaboration and by overcoming numerous limitations, the project was ultimately brought to completion.