Works#Kansai

The Panasonic Group Pavilion "Nomo no Kuni" is a pavilion based on the concept of "Unlock your nature" that draws out the potential of children through sensory analysis technology and experiences that stimulate the five senses. Utilizing the latest technology from Panasonic Holdings, we have achieved a spatial design that harmonizes with the worldview of "Nomo no Kuni" by using tiles that evoke the tactile sensation of walking on natural ground, natural wood finishes with metallic textures, and concept design techniques that combine with 3D printing. We adopted a spatial and experience concept design approach centered on what we can do for the future of children, incorporating cutting-edge design and construction methods in sustainability, such as reusable tiles and biodegradable concept design printing.

We designed and concept design the entire house, from design administration concept design the interior design and exterior concept design. The site overlooks the Sea of Japan, and the area is known as a scenic spot with a dynamic topography called "cave". On the other hand, if you look at the surrounding area, you will see that the labyrinth-like intricate alleys create a unique streetscape. This is a feature unique to this area, with a square-shaped structure with cranked intersections to prevent the north wind from blowing through. By incorporating this unique alley structure into the ground floor plan, the architectural volume is segmented and harmonizes with the surrounding environment. The exterior and entrance hall are structured like a topography based on the motif of the ria coast, and the continuity with the streetscape is ensured by setting back from the south side. On the other hand, the north façade is raised one step higher than the surrounding area, and has a three-dimensional square-shaped structure intended to prevent the north wind from blowing through to the city. For the exterior finish, in order to echo the external characteristics of the ria coastline, with its rocky surface at the bottom and lush trees at the top, we used rock-like concrete with exposed aggregates for the lower layer, and wood-grain concrete with cedar board formwork for the upper layer. Both the aggregates that appear on the surface and the cedar board formwork materials are made from materials that can be collected in the area, and we hope that the unique expressions of the materials will weave the unique scenery of the location into the future. In addition, by applying this two-tiered structure to the finishes of the interior spaces as well, it creates a sense of unity with the architecture, contributing to fostering a sense of unity between the inside and outside.

Thirty years have passed since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, and as the number of generations who have not experienced the disaster increases, we have renovated the Kobe Port Earthquake Memorial Park, which was built in 1997 immediately after the disaster. By displays the remains preserved as they were at the time of the earthquake in contrast to the reconstructed city of Kobe, we symbolically convey the horror of the earthquake and the strength of the people of Kobe who reconstructed the city. In renovating displays displays, we reconstructed the content so that it is easy to understand for the younger generation who did not experience the earthquake, and we also translated displays graphics and videos into multiple languages for the increasing number of foreign tourists in recent years. As a new displays element, we also created AR content that allows you to compare the state of the remains before, during, and after the earthquake. We renovated the park with the aim of attracting many people from Japan and abroad, regardless of age, and continuing to be a place that passes on the memories and lessons of the earthquake to the future.

GRAND GREEN OSAKA South Building is a complex with a variety of functions, including 55 shops and restaurants, two hotels and offices, wellness facilities, and MICE facilities. As a pioneer of cutting-edge urban lifestyles, it is home to a wide variety of international restaurants and shops. The largest urban spa in the Kansai region features natural hot springs and an infinity pool overlooking Umekita Park, and as a wellness hub, it offers high-value experiences such as health, beauty, exercise, and relaxation. In addition, a large-scale food market called "Time Out Market Osaka" overseen by the global media "Time Out" has opened on the first basement floor.

Kagaya is a famous Japanese inn with its main store in Wakura Onsen, Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture. In January 2024, Kagaya suffered severe damage from the earthquake that occurred off the coast of the Noto Peninsula. However, at the entrance to the inn, there was a pine tree that stood unaffected by the earthquake, and people were touched by its majestic appearance. Therefore, in creating this store, concept design concept was based on the "pine tree," which is revered as an object of prayer in the Noto region. The counter ceiling located in the center of the store is designed with pine leaves connected together to symbolically express the pine tree stretching up to the sky. The facade is concept design to represent pine leaves stretching up into the Noto sky, creating a warm welcome for visitors. Additionally, a silver-thread belt that has been passed down from generation to generation to female inns is displayed on a display shelf behind the counter, and art and crafts that have been passed down through generations at the inn are scattered throughout the inn, preserving the beauty and techniques of Noto. Together, we created the store, combining Kagaya's traditions, spirit of hospitality, and desire for recovery with the vitality and strength of the Noto pine trees.

About 400 years ago, the first Osaka Castle built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi fell in the Summer Siege of Osaka and was buried underground by the Tokugawa Shogunate with a large amount of earth. This project aims to excavate the Toyotomi-era stone walls from the ground after 400 years, renovate them, and open them to the public. In a facility unlike any other in the country that allows visitors to go underground to view the remains, we worked on creating displays that conveys the unique value of Toyotomi-era stone walls, which are different from the stone walls rebuilt by the Tokugawa Shogunate. We created displays story and production that allows visitors to relive the process of identifying the Toyotomi-era stone walls, their characteristics, and the turbulent history that the stone walls have gone through. We also created displays space that feels even more special by overlapping it with the process of visiting the ruins, going from above ground to underground and back again. In addition, we valued the way the stone walls themselves were presented, and conveyed the original appeal of the remains through an integrated production that linked video, lighting, and sound.

This is a renewal of the entire store and environment area from the building entrance to the lobby (large hall) of the Takarazuka Grand Theater, which is celebrating its 111th anniversary. Based on the concept of "Dreams start here," we aimed to carefully inherit the charm of the Takarazuka Grand Theater that has been cultivated so far, and to create a space that will continue to deliver dreams to many customers and be loved in the future. From the moment you step inside the building, you will be enveloped in the glamorous world of Takarazuka Revue, and it is a space where you can experience the "extraordinary feeling" and "exhilaration" that leads to dreams and excitement. By unifying concept design of interiors environment and creating the world of Takarazuka Revue throughout the building, we planned a space that will make the time before and after the show more comfortable, and that customers who are not going to the show can also enjoy. By extracting motifs that represent "Takarazuka-ness" from the elements of Takarazuka Revue's stages and shows and the building of the Grand Theater and reconstructing them as modern concept design, we have created a space that will be loved even more by existing fans and will attract new fans, leading to an increase in brand value with an eye on the future of Takarazuka Revue.

Kurukuru is a public mobility service run by local residents that has been operating provisionally as a means of transportation in Nitto-cho and Daishi-cho, Kawachinagano City, where population decline and an aging population are accelerating after 50 years since the development of residential land. In order to operate the transportation service that supports local mobility with the initiative of local residents, we held a participatory art workshop. Together with members of the art club of a local junior high school and local residents, we held a total of 10 art workshops, "See, Learn, Create," with the aim of reaffirming social issues through art, rediscovering the charm of the town, and fostering a sense of participation in town development among local residents through co-creation.

The fish displays area "SeaZoo" at Kinosaki Marine World in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture, is celebrating its 30th anniversary and will reopen on July 25, 2024. The concept of the newly completed displays "CUBE" at "SeaZoo" is "Towards an aquarium with more conversation." The aim is to create a new displays style that encourages curiosity, new discoveries, and free thinking by learning together through conversations with creatures and keepers, 20 cube-shaped aquariums, illustrations, and graphic boards.

The Nintendo Museum is a facility that was renovated from Nintendo's Uji Kokura Factory. It features displays of many of Nintendo's products, new play experiences reborn with the latest technology, workshops, cafes, shops, and more, making it a museum where visitors can learn about and experience Nintendo's history and commitment to craftsmanship. Our group worked together as a team to bring together the collective strengths of over 100 members in this project. We were in charge of concept design, planning, and construction while supporting the overall plan from the facility concept. In addition, the group company Seeds Three is in charge of the staff department for the museum operation business, and Nomura Medias is in charge of maintenance and shop tenant operation.

Cacao Tiegokaan visits cacao producing areas and works with cacao farmers to create chocolate from beans without compromise. The interior of the store is decorated with crushed cacao husk, the thin skin of cacao that is discarded during the chocolate manufacturing process. The chocolate carefully made from cacao fruit and the interior of the store, wrapped in cacao husk, resonate with each other, creating a special space where you can experience the charm of cacao with your whole body.

BLUE YARD is a complex store that seamlessly connects three business types: a dining area, a cafe stand, and a record shop, and was born in the food and beverage zone "Baltica 03" in the station building "Innogate Osaka" directly connected to JR Osaka Station. In the dining area, you can enjoy modern American-style cuisine, including meat dishes grilled in a roaster machine, and live performances are occasionally held on the center stage with professional acoustics. There is also a cafe stand and record shop that can be used casually. Although it is a tenant in a station building, it has an area of over 200 tsubo, and the seating layout meets a wide variety of needs in the morning, afternoon, and evening, and the spacious interior with a 4.8m ceiling and a view over the Umeda cityscape provides a comfortable and high-quality entertainment space that combines convenience and a sense of quality. We were in charge of design, layout.

Osaka Station Hotel is a new brand hotel affiliated with Marriott International's "AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION® HOTELS" located on the 1st, 7th, and 29th to 38th floors of JP Tower Osaka, which is directly connected to the west exit of JR Osaka Station. It has 418 rooms. The hotel stands on the site of the original Osaka Station, which opened in 1874, and its brand concept is "THE OSAKA TIME." concept design philosophy of the space is "TIME TRAVEL," which takes you through the memories of the old station and railway throughout the hotel. The introduction to the hotel is based on the red bricks used in the original Osaka Station, and the first floor entrance is made of custom-made glass in the iconic red brick color, and the 29th floor lobby, which attempts a new brickwork expression, is positioned as the beginning of a journey through time and space. As you step further into the hotel, you will find the front lobby, a modern rendition of the manned ticket booths found in old stations, Station Square, a bustling area resembling a waiting plaza at a station, the iconic lobby lounge with its gabled roof of light that brings to life the memories of the original Osaka Station, the all-day dining room reminiscent of the dining car of a luxury train, and a secret bar behind a door marked "Stationmaster's Office" at the end of a dimly lit corridor; this hotel's unique "time-space journey" unfolds before you. Art using railway parts and other materials is also dotted throughout the hotel, integrating space and art to create a place that connects memories of the past to the present and future. We were responsible for design supervision of the entire hotel, as well as concept design and construction of the public and F&B areas.

Kyoto Prefectural Botanical Garden opened in 1924 as Japan's first public botanical garden, and will celebrate its 100th anniversary on January 1, 2024. To mark the 100th anniversary, the garden has developed a new acorn forest area called "Dongreen Lab" in the garden. The area is a 3,000 square meter area in the center of the garden, where more than 10 types of acorn trees, including konara oak and sawtooth oak, are collected from all over the world. The garden has a bear-shaped "acorn post" that allows children to actually pick up acorns and feel their shape and smell, and a "highlight caption" that allows children to feel the diversity of acorns, allowing them to learn about the ecosystem while touching various types of acorns. The collected acorns will also be used in workshops within the garden and as gifts for the bears at Kyoto City Zoo.

HOKURIKU+ is an information hub for Toyama, Ishikawa, and Fukui. It is directly connected to the west exit of JR Osaka Station and features a sales space, a standing bar space where you can enjoy local sake and snacks from each prefecture, a tourist information space, and an event space that showcases the seasons. In addition to design, layout planning to construction phases, we were also in charge of the logo and its manual, the carefully crafted store introduction video, and the VMD (visual merchandising) proposal for the first year of opening.