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K-Arena Yokohama

Dec. 05,2023
Sports and Entertainment FacilityIndoor Arena
Removable seats with caster wheels
Retractable seating
Removable seats with caster wheels
Retractable seating

Project Description

One of the world’s largest music-focused arenas opened in the Minato Mirai district

The K-Arena Yokohama opened in the Minato Mirai district of Yokohama in September 2023. It is one of the world’s largest music-focused arenas. It is different to multi-purpose arenas which host a wide range of events.

Fine-quality general seats which maximize enjoyment of entertainment

The approximately 20,000-capacity audience seating consists of arena seats and three-tiered stand seats. These seats extend out from the stage in a fan-shape. All the seats directly face the stage. In addition, the stand seats are staggered one row at a time. This ensures the heads of the audience members sitting in front do not block the stage. It is possible to easily see the stage from any of the seats. This arrangement creates a feeling of being close to the stage from anywhere in the venue.

The seats are Lux. The Lux seats feature a high backrest and wide seat which firmly support the body of the users. The backrests are padded with urethane while the seats have a three-layer cushion with suspension. The facility staff carefully selected the seats with an emphasis on comfort from a desire that audience members will be able to have the ultimate experience in any seat. The color of the fabric is a deep blue which evokes the sea of Yokohama. The arena seats are removable seats. The stand seats consist of retractable seating and fixed seats. Nevertheless, the seats have been designed to the same specifications. This creates a sense of unity throughout the seating. 

Each seat is equipped with two cup holders. This ensures smooth eating and drinking. It is possible to remove the seat covers with a zipper. This ensures that staff can quickly arrange clean seats even if one becomes dirty with a drink.

Higher grade VIP seats which enchant users with their fabric 

The three rows of 235 balcony seats upholstered in red fabric give off a sense of presence at the very front of the center block in the middle stand. The TS-71 series of theater seats personify special seats as they use wood for the backrests, armrests and side panels of the legs.

There are 11 luxurious VIP boxes at the rear of this stand. The audience seating in each of those boxes is also comprised of the TS-71 series. The upholstery is an original design handled by a group company of Kotobuki Seating, FABRIKO. The color is aligned with the color scheme of the general seats. However, if you look closely, you will see a three-dimensional waffle weave which looks like the letter “K” in it.

Removable seats and retractable seating for quick setup and dismantling

The K Arena has taken a unique approach to permanently installing various stage equipment including the basic stage. This enables quick setup and dismantling while accommodating a wide range of performances. Removable seats and retractable seating have been introduced to flexibly accommodate the audience. 

The area closest to the stage among the arena seats features removable seats with caster wheels. There is a need to be able to quickly create a space for removal trucks to enter after the end of an event in this area. It is possible to quickly pull the removable seats with caster wheels to the rear without the hassle of folding and disassembling the seats to begin working on removal. These seats are designed so that the concealed caster wheels appear when you step on the lever at the top of the leg base to enable you to move them.

Removable seats in the matrix system are lined up behind the removable seats with caster wheels. It is possible to setup these seats without the use of large tools or construction work. First, the leg frames which form the legs of the seats are placed and then the seat frames with several connected seats are inserted into the sockets in the leg frames. Another major benefit with these seats is that the leg frames allow the aisle width to be fixed and beautifully aligned. There are also dedicated carts available. That makes it easy to move and store these seats.

Located at the front of the lower stand, the semi-automatic wall-mounted (with some exceptions) retractable seating plays a role in producing a sense of connection and unity from the arena seats to the stand seats. The stepped audience seating can be deployed in a short time. Moreover, it can be folded up and stored against the wall at the back of the arena when not needed.

Facility Overview

The K Arena Yokohama opened in the Minato Mirai district of Yokohama in September 2023. The concept of the facility is “All for the enjoyment of "music". The total of 20,033 seats are comprised of arena seats and three-tiered stand seats to make it one of the world’s largest music-focused arenas. All the seats which have been designed with comfort in mind are arranged in a fan-shape so that they directly face the stage. This creates a powerful and uniting atmosphere throughout the audience seating. Initiatives rare for an entertainment facility in Japan have also been employed in the arena. For example, a lounge is provided for users of the VIP boxes. The facility employs the latest and special equipment unique to the K Arena with a focus on ease of use so that artists can realize their ideal live concerts. In addition, the facility has aimed to realize smooth setup and dismantling by permanently installing a variety of stage equipment including a special stage.
 

Project Summary

Location
Yokohama City, Kanagawa Map
Opened
Sep, 2023
Seats
20,033
Client
Ken Corporation Ltd.
Design
Azusa Sekkei Co., Ltd.
Interior design of VIP area
ILYA CORPORATION
Textile design for VIP BOX spectator seating
Fabriko Co., Ltd.