Important Cultural Property Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward

Built in 1910 and designated an Important Cultural Property by the government in 1974, this wooden Western-style building is representative of Hokkaido.
The building was closed from October 2018 for the first large-scale preservation and repair work in 40 years, but reopened in April 2021. Based on a preservation and utilization plan based on the concept of "a public hall where everyone can watch, learn, and gather while protecting it together," displays design concept is "HEROE'S JOURNEY," and it not only explains the architectural highlights, but also introduces the skills and passion of the heroes, both famous and unknown, who were instrumental in the construction of the Former Hakodate Ward Public Hall.

As the building itself is an important cultural property, we took great care in concept design not to mar the image of the scenery or the interior atmosphere, and to minimize damage, we did not fasten any of the fixtures in place and paid meticulous attention to their installation and adjustment.
In addition, using an AR smartphone app, valuable furniture and furnishings are explained in multiple languages, and the appearance of the items as they would have been used at the time is recreated in real-life rooms.


[Social issues/customer issues/requests]
While the number of tourists visiting Hakodate was increasing, the number of visitors to the Public Hall was on the decline, and the exterior, interior, and displays were all quite old and in a state of disrepair.
In addition, the number of local visitors was low compared to the total number of visitors, and there was a lack of information to motivate visitors about the museum's history and the attractions of its interior. Although it was built as a "building for the citizens," in order to preserve it and pass it on as a source of pride for the town, it was necessary to convey its value to people living today and have them use it.


[Solution]
We thought it would be important for people to understand the reasons for preserving the public hall and its value in order to plan for its future preservation and utilization.
In accordance with the plans of Hakodate City, which placed the highest priority on not affecting the preservation of the building as an Important Cultural Property, we produced a video and displays to inform visitors about the involvement of local pioneers, both famous and unknown, in the planning, and to raise awareness of the building as a "public hall that citizens can be proud of."

[Ballroom: History Table]
When the building was constructed, a billiard table was installed in the ball game room. displays stand, which is based on this billiard table motif, features a 1/100 accessory kit for architectural models that shows the transition in the people who use the hall, as well as tangible examples of precious designs and building materials, and a map of Hakodate City's traditional buildings preservation district made of beautifully transparent colored acrylic cubes, adding a playful element that will make you want to take photos.

[Small Dining Hall: Theater]
The room that was used as a dining hall has been remodeled into a small theater room, which showcases the history leading up to the construction of the auditorium.

[AR explanation in each room]
Using the AR app, you can enjoy the building by overlaying it on the real landscape, such as motions that recreate the time of construction and making the architectural structure transparent. It is a non-contact displays explanation that can be recorded and shared on your own smartphone.


[Our project members]
[Sales/Project Management] Akihide Inoue, Kosuke Takeda
[Planning, graphic direction, video direction, model direction] Yuki Shimokuni, Reimi Abe
[concept design] Atsuko Nakazawa (working drawings), Akiko Yamada (schematic design)