Kyoto Aquarium "Mitette"

We have renovated "Mittete," a social area at Kyoto Aquarium, located in Umekoji Park in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto City, which is visited by a wide range of people, from children to adults.
This new area will have a wide range of functions, including displays about the aquarium, workshops, and a place to rest. The space is designed to be a place where visitors can learn not only about the creatures, but also about the staff's feelings towards them, and the activities of the staff and the aquarium, making them even more fond of Kyoto Aquarium.

・To be a hub for marine and river life areas
・To create a space that symbolizes Kyoto Aquarium, which values workshops.
- To create a space that embodies the museum's communication concept, "The closer you get, the more you like it.", and one that allows a wide range of people to get closer to the museum.
The above three points became the challenges.

This area, which serves as a relay point from the ocean-themed displays to the river and satoyama-themed displays, is expressed as a space where the ocean and river areas intermingle with each other through the use of different floor coverings and gradational column graphics. The ceiling and floor are gently curved to create a fluid space that guides visitors deeper and deeper into the space while gently connecting the two areas.

The spatial organization of the space includes an easy-to-see layout of past workshop works, which are placed at the entrance to give a strong impression of the history of the museum and its passion for workshops. In order to provide the entire space with a variable design in preparation for events, desks that change shape depending on how they are combined, shelves equipped with workshop equipment, and other fixtures were placed throughout the space.

Next to the newly installed staff counter, items such as the aquarium staff's treasured photos, tools of their trade, and treasures are displayed in a soft atmosphere with handwritten POP and other items that give visitors a sense of both the living creatures and the personalities of the staff members.
In addition, mechanisms are provided throughout displays to tickle visitors' intellectual curiosity and encourage them to take a spontaneous look.

We have received positive feedback from visitors, such as "It's brighter now," "It's more comfortable to spend time here," and "The lockers are fun."
Also, since the renovation, customers have been spending a little more time in the area than before.