Drawing inspiration from the poetry collection Paul identified as his favorite at the Pavilion, I developed a concept for the outdoor pavilion wall centered on waka poetry. Dating back to the 7th century, waka is one of the oldest forms of Japanese literature. It goes beyond words, serving as a subtle and emotional expression that has shaped Japanese art and culture for over a thousand years. The most well-known form of waka is the tanka, a five-line poem with a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable structure. Rather than stating emotions directly, poets evoke feeling through seasonal imagery and brief moments in nature. This approach gives waka its quiet, reflective quality, which remains central to traditional Japanese aesthetics. From the classic collection of One Hundred Waka Poems, we selected two for the design. Due to space limitations, we chose to feature only the final two lines — known as the shimo-no-ku.

Colors fade from blooms
In the long falling spring rains
Time slips quietly
I have spent my days in vain
Watching beauty pass away

In this poem, Komachi is capturing a very human realization: that life, beauty, and love are fleeting, and we often only recognize their value as they begin to fade. Ono no Komachi was a celebrated female poet from 9th century Japan, known for her beauty and deeply emotional poems about love and the passage of time.