Sophia University Building 15

Building 15 of Sophia University's Yotsuya Campus opened in the fall of 2022 as a hub for adult education and community exchange, with the theme of "Turning the city into a forest," aiming to contribute to achieving the SDGs and realizing a carbon-free society, as well as to become a sustainable landmark for the region.
The three-story fireproof wooden facility was designed and construction by Sumitomo Forestry, and its main structure is made of "Kigurumi FR®", an original fireproof laminated wood material made from cedar from Tama. The crisscrossed wooden lattice façade is concept design to express "diversity," "interaction with others," "truth," and "tradition," which are linked to the founding principles of Sophia University. The first floor will operate a cafe that is open to the public, and as part of its community contribution activities, the space will be provided to nearby neighborhood associations as a disaster prevention warehouse. The second and third floors will also be used as classrooms for "Professional Studies," a course for working adults.
We were in charge of design, layout and construction of the third floor, which is used as a classroom for courses for working adults. We aimed to create a space that would be a place to gather, learn and talk together, and to connect the story of the architecture to the materials that make up the space, concept design Nishikawa lumber (cedar and cypress) from Hanno, which, together with materials from Tama, built the city of Edo.

- The facility will help turn the city into a forest, contribute to achieving the SDGs and realizing a carbon-free society, and contribute to creating a vibrant city by serving as a sustainable landmark for the area and as a base for adult education and community interaction.
・Proposing a space that blends in with the founding principles of Sophia University and the concept, concept design and taste of Sumitomo Forestry's wooden architecture
・The third floor in particular will be used not only for lectures, but also as a salon where people can relax and talk.
The above request was made by Sumitomo Forestry.

We proposed a space with a strong presence that matches the exterior to further enhance its value as a landmark, and a comfortable place to spend precious time as a "real gathering" especially now that the way we communicate is changing, a place that can be used to deepen discussions and exchanges, or as a workspace during waiting times. Rather than a standardized format with a podium and table, we used a "debate" format with a tiered platform to generate frank and lively conversation, surrounded by benches and tables.
In accordance with the facility's philosophy of contributing to the SDGs in the international community and valuing connections with the local community, the materials that make up the space are environmentally friendly and actively use traceable timber (Nishikawa lumber) from a nearby production area to fix carbon. concept design is intended to deepen interest in the diverse "charms of wood" throughout the space.