Works#Architecture

Tokiwakan, a ryokan inn in Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture, was beloved by many literary figures during the late Meiji period. The Ume Annex, originally built as a detached building, has been reborn as "THE COVE," a Gamagori Classic Hotel accommodation facility, offering a whole-house rental experience. Based on the concept of "encountering the blessings of the region surrounding Mikawa Bay and enjoying them with all five senses," the hotel makes the most of the renowned building, a registered tangible cultural property, and the views it commands, nestled on a hill overlooking Takeshima Island in the tranquil Mikawa Bay. Furthermore, by adding a touch of "newness" where necessary, the hotel creates a pleasant contrast and an extraordinary lodging experience. The hotel is packed with the charms of the region, featuring artwork using traditional techniques handed down in the area and the development of original drinks crafted by local people using local ingredients.

This project was undertaken by Takekoma Shrine, one of Japan's three major Inari shrines, to create a lively atmosphere in the local community. Our company acted as the hub, forming a team that united the shrine, the local community, and the company. The team worked on five main areas: "development of the shrine forest," "installation of a cafe," "vitalization of the local community," "promotion," and "creating a new festival." Our company was responsible for the overall production of the project, including planning, logo concept design, design administration, landscaping concept design, construction, exterior construction, cafe opening support, cafe menu development, product development, video production, and PR. Our goal was to ensure that Takekoma Shrine would continue to be an indispensable part of the lives of the local residents and be passed on to the future in a sustainable way. ○ Contents of comprehensive production ① Extraction of customer issues ② Proposal of solutions to those issues ③ Consideration of implementation (operation) system ④ Creation of implementation (operation) system (leasing) ⑤ concept design based on opinions of the shrine and operators ⑥ Product development (food and drink menu, selection of products for sale) ⑦ Consideration of revitalization of the shrine as a whole ⑧ Creation of a promotional video for the entire shrine ⑨ Consideration of CAFÉ promotion ⑩ Opening ceremony planning ⑪ Attracting various media ⑫ Implementing PDCA after opening ⑬ Create a new festival ⑭ Global promotional video for overseas By seeking supporters from our network (mainly local companies), we were able to create a system that can operate independently.

As a symbolic project to enhance the value of the Tobu Skytree Line, a commercial facility called "TOBU icourt" has opened in the Dokkyo University area. The facility is based on the concept of a place that offers "a comfortable life for everyone that satisfies the five senses of body and mind". Taking advantage of the characteristics of the area, which is home to educational and cultural facilities such as Dokkyo University and Matsubara Danchi Memorial Park, the facility has opened a total of 24 stores that meet the daily needs of diversifying lifestyles, including a major supermarket that offers food lifestyle suggestions. In addition, the facility will play a role as a base for promoting urban development that enhances the appeal of the area while further collaborating with the local government, residents, universities, and other local parties. It aims to continue to liven up the area through new connections born from exchanges through events with the facility, such as holding events in the adjacent park. We were in charge of the development planning, leasing, concept design /design supervision, facility naming, and logo development for this facility.

Tochigi Health Check Plaza is a medical facility that relocated and opened on January 15, 2024 for health checkups and medical examinations. In today's world, where people are expected to live to 100 years old, health management through regular health checkups and medical examinations is more important than ever. In order to realize the wishes of many patients that their annual medical examination day be a "rich and special day," we have created a space full of hospitality, from architecture to interior and furniture concept design. In order to respond to customer requests and a wide range of concept design areas, we teamed up with NAU (now the Architectural Production Department), which specializes in total concept design on an urban planning and architectural scale, and an interior concept design team that specializes in the hospitality market, such as hotels. By utilizing each other's expertise and concept design everything from the architectural scale to the human scale, we were able to ease the psychological anxiety of patients and create a space where they can spend their time comfortably and comfortably. With a smart appearance symbolizing a cutting-edge medical facility and a space filled with elegant colors, we aimed to create a facility that would take root in the local community and be beloved as a symbol of the town.

A new area connecting "Asakusa" and "Tokyo Skytree Town®" has been born. "Tokyo Mizumachi®" is a commercial complex under elevated railway tracks created in collaboration between Tobu Railway Co., Ltd. and Sumida Ward. Based on the concept of "Live to Trip - people, regions, and cultures come and go, spend your time as if you were traveling, and travel as if you lived there", we have developed a road-based project that includes supporting players who are rooted in East Tokyo and players who want to have a base in East Tokyo. By developing a town called "Tokyo Mizumachi®" as a collection of small individualities centered on players, it will be linked with Asakusa and Tokyo Sky Tree, and will be a fusion of [community-based x tourism leisure consumption] as a tourist spot in this area. We aimed for

At the beginning of the planning, Akikusa Gakuen approached us to ask about seismic retrofitting of the gymnasium. In conjunction with the seismic retrofitting and the renewal of the gymnasium facade and interiors, the corridor connecting the school building and the gymnasium was requested to be "a bright and clean corridor, not a humid and dark one. We wanted to create a space that the school can leave to future generations." This led to concept design of the corridor space expressing the identity of Akikusa Gakuen. The most important thing in this plan was to create a "space that people will continue to love." Therefore, this time, we created the origin of concept design together with the students in a workshop, and worked on a "progressive concept design" that would create attachment and be passed down. We asked the students to bring in photos that expressed "Akikusa-ness," and extracted the feelings they had put into words in the form of "#〇〇," sublimated them into concept design, and decorated the corridor. By having the students digest concept design as if it were their own and spread it to those around them, we hoped that the "Akikusa-ness" would be passed down from generation to generation and that people would continue to interact with the space with affection.

Following on from the 15th anniversary renovation in 2013, for which we were in charge of planning and design supervision, we were involved in the 20th anniversary renovation from the planning stage. After several renovations, the hotel was opened in 2019 as a milestone project that marked the completion of the entire renovation. The welcome space on the first floor and the restaurant floor on the fifth floor were completely renovated, the signs within the building were renewed, and new digital signage was installed. The renovation was based on the concept for the 15th anniversary, "Romanticship Umihotaru," and unlike the fourth floor, which had all openings facing the sea, the image of the space was created with only inward-facing openings and special decorations.

This is a renovation project for guest rooms, a bar, and a façade of a ryokan located in the western part of the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture. It has been reopened as "Atara Night Nishiizu", which is derived from the Manyoshu poem "A wonderful night that is regrettable to end". In terms of guest rooms, we have five suites and one concept room for groups and families. On the first floor, we were in charge of the renovation of the bar, the design of the façade, and the live kitchen.

This is a renovation project of the hotel "TheMana Village" located at the tip of Ashizuri Cape in Kochi Prefecture. Starting in 2020, the former Ashizuri Pacific Hotel will be reborn as a new “TheMana Village”. In the 2022 project, 5 new types of guest rooms and the Italian restaurant "Assurrissimo" in the facility have been expanded. Some of the new guest rooms are twin-type rooms with a large space of 96 square meters, equipped with a private sauna, water bath, open-air bath, and a special room with a fireplace in the room. Aiming to be one of the best resort hotels in Asia, this renovation project aims to provide a special accommodation experience. , is an ongoing project leading to the next renovation.

This project is being carried out by ARTH Group Co., Ltd. (Tosashimizu Resort LLC), a company involved in accommodation businesses and regional revitalization nationwide. The project aims to revitalize the entire city of Tosashimizu by revitalizing the long-established inn "Ashizuri Pacific Hotel Hanatsubaki," which has been loved for many years on Cape Ashizuri in Kochi Prefecture, as one of Asia's leading resort facilities for long-term stays, "The Mana Village." The facility is located in the natural beauty of Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park. Although it offers a spectacular view, the hotel's old interiors remains as it was, as if time had stopped since the Showa era. Initially, the plan was to set up a small cafe area, but as the meetings continued, ARTH's vision of wanting to liven up not only the hotel but also the entire city of Kochi and Tosashimizu expanded. The project has been transformed into a complex that includes an Italian restaurant, providing a luxurious space where you can experience the nature of Ashizuri. We have been involved from the concept stage of planning and concept design the facility to improve its appeal, and have been in charge of producing the space for the facade, lobby common areas, guest rooms, and restaurant, which will be the face of the hotel. (design supervision for guest rooms and Italian restaurant) As ARTH's creative partner, we are involved in producing spaces that lead to the creation and revitalization of attractive urban areas, including ``LOQUAT Nishiizu'' (renovating an old Japanese house into an auberge), which we took on in 2021.

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Nagoya Anpanman Children's Museum & Park, which opened in 2010, we will be in charge of the expansion of the "Takashi Yanase Theater" and the renovation of the "Big Tree and Forest of Play" as a power-up measure that will be responsible for the next 10 years. Thank you. Among the Anpanman Children's Museums in Japan, this facility is particularly focused on character shows and greetings, and will be a project of a dedicated theater where full-scale shows can be held and a plaza where parents and children can participate in play and events. Based on the concept of "Takashi Yanase Theater" and "Anpanman and his friends came when we were playing in the children's room," we created a warm wooden space and used building blocks, which are familiar toys for young children, as a motif. The building blocks, both inside and outside of the building, are integrated with the building framework so that the overall effect is large. In addition, by constructing the interior of the building with the vehicles, mechanics, and bread factory that appear in the anime, we have created a production that creates conversations between parents and children even during intermissions. Based on the concept of “a forest of big trees and play” and “the open space where Anpanman and his friends used to play until a little while ago”, a symbolic tree is arranged in the center, and it is a free space where parents and children can play around it and staff can hold events. increase. The ceiling surface is illuminated with blue skies, rainbows, and sunsets so that you can enjoy a day in the forest. Fixed playground equipment such as tunnels, slides, and peepholes are arranged to surround them, creating a space where parents and children can discover play in the forest.

This is Japan's first permanent museum specializing in infectious diseases. With the theme of "connecting the past and present of infectious diseases to the future," this facility conveys the knowledge and experience humans have built up from the past to the present, as well as steps toward the future. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought back memories of the struggle between humans and infectious diseases, and it is expected that infectious diseases will continue to pose a threat to us in the future. In this context, the Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Museum of Infectious Diseases is planned as a place where people can learn to "act correctly based on correct knowledge" regarding infectious diseases. The museum, which is a separate building from the Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Hall, was renovated and made use of the track record of the Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Foundation and the high level of expertise of the supervisors to differentiate it from the memorial hall. It consists of two displays rooms, and our company was involved in everything from architectural renovation to displays design and construction, as well as signage, content, and leaflet concept design.

"A funeral hall that is close to the community" This is a funeral hall in Mitaka, Tokyo, by Memoryd Co., Ltd., which provides life support services including ceremonial occasions. We were in charge of everything from architecture to interiors design, layout construction. It is a facility for holding a full funeral ceremony, consisting of two halls, a purification hall, a mortuary room, a bathing room, a waiting room, and a space for the funeral procession and parking. In response to the green and pleasant living environment in the surrounding area, the concept was "a funeral hall that resonates with the town," "a mansion-like appearance with textured finishes," and "a welcoming space that continues from the outside to the inside." The space is low-rise and has green spaces, while the pilotis and openings welcome the local community, nature, and light, creating a spatial composition that blends in with the surrounding environment. In addition, the pilotis connects to the first floor entrance, and the stairs connects to the second floor foyer, drawing in light from the second floor to the first floor, creating a space that makes the exterior space seem continuous with the interior. interiors and FF&E were concept design with the concept of "an organic space that envelops precious time with the deceased" and with a calm and gentle impression that gently envelops the time that has been woven and accumulated. At the same time, we aimed to create a funeral hall that is close to the community, both in terms of hardware and software, while complying with Mitaka City regulations and neighborhood explanations. [Social issues / Customer issues / Requests] As it will be a funeral hall in a residential area, we were asked to consistently consider the neighborhood in both hardware and software. In addition, wakes and funerals are rarely held over two days these days, and one-day funerals and family funerals are the norm. In addition, the number of attendees is limited due to the effects of COVID-19, so we were asked to concept design a space that can accommodate a short period of time and a small number of people. [Solution] In consideration of the neighborhood, we reduced the feeling of oppression by creating a low-rise building with a setback* from the road and green spaces, and by creating an appearance like a mansion with a textured finish, we minimized the image of a funeral hall as much as possible, while creating concept design that blends in with the surrounding residential environment. The pilotis on the first floor is a space that is softly partitioned while blocking the view with wire greenery and louvers, and is not hidden by walls, but is open to the surrounding environment. The facility's activities can be felt and it is a space that can be easily entered during events, so it was planned as a facility that is recognized and understood by local residents. At the same time, we aimed to create a "funeral hall that is close to the community" in terms of both hardware and software, while complying with Mitaka City regulations and neighborhood explanations. As a space concept design for short periods of time and small numbers of people, we focused on functionality and avoided a space that lacks warmth, and created a calm and gentle space by using organic finishes for interiors and FF&E. *: Setback means that a building is built with a certain distance from the boundary line of the land. <Our project members> [Sales and project management] Hironari Sakimoto [design, layout] NAU: Yoichi Kawakami, Norio Koito, Wataru Sugimoto, Akane Watanabe / Kei Matsuzawa [Sign] Tomomi Ito [Production and construction] Keita Ide, Ryota Sakurai

Launched in 2019, "Marunouchi Street Park" is a social experiment project designed to explore the future of Marunouchi Nakadori Street and how it can be utilized. Based on the spatial concept of "Amazing Winter Streets," the park created three approximately 300-meter blocks, each offering a warm and inviting experience while enjoying illuminations. Block 1, themed "Wonder Dining!", featured a playful area with a glasshouse where visitors could dine while enjoying the illuminations, tree hammocks, and a large chess table. Block 2, themed "Wonder Lounge!", featured a two-story hut serving as both a general information center and shop. It also featured a postbox with a simulated flame for posting purchased Christmas cards, a billiards table under the illuminations, and a fire pit where visitors could relax and enjoy playing street piano. Block 3, themed "Wonder Terrace!", features a "Corridor of Light" covered in mirrors and an "Artists on the Fire Terrace," where artists can create art around a fake fire in a fireplace. (Dates: December 2-25, 2021) Hosted by our company, the "Illumination Tour for the Visually Impaired 2021 Winter" is a walking tour with the theme of "dialogue" that aims to provide a truly comfortable spatial experience for everyone. Volunteer staff will escort visually impaired visitors through three blocks (total length approximately 300 meters) of the beautiful winter illuminations of Nakadori Street, creating a program that will warm both the body and mind and allow them to enjoy the experience through conversations that will warm their hearts and minds. During the "Marunouchi Street Park 2021 Summer" (August-September) event, we observed visually impaired people using the park, so we conducted interviews with people who have been blind since birth. The results included, "The places I want to go are places I've been to once and enjoyed," "I'm nervous about taking the first step when going somewhere new," "I didn't know Marunouchi was a park," and "Because I'm blind, I use my imagination to enjoy things." Therefore, if we could convey the charm of Marunouchi in a friendly and careful manner by "using methods that clearly communicate with the visually impaired" and "providing guidance with reliable support," we believe they will want to "return" and fall even more in love with Marunouchi Nakadori. We also believe that this tour could provide an opportunity for "everyone" to "feel, connect, and spend time with the seasons." This led us to organize this tour. <Our project members> [Project Director] Suzuki Echiyo [Sales] Ishiyama Shigeyuki, Yamamoto Hitomi [Planning] CIC: Saito Yusuke [Operations Management] CIC: Ando Kaoru [concept design] Sakuma Tonoyoshi, Ozawa Kazuki, Matsubara Miwa [Architectural Advisor] NAU: Okamoto Kiwami [Production] Marumori Yukio, Sasaki Ikuya, Yamaguchi Yuta, Kawashima Ayaka ~Related Links~ [Announcement] ・"Marunouchi Street Park Illumination Tour!" sponsored NOMURA Co.,Ltd. [Related Projects] ・Marunouchi Street Park 2021 Summer

This project is one of the projects to help the residents of the areas that will be submerged due to the construction of the Yamba Dam to rebuild their lives and find meaning in life. For about six years, we were in charge of the basic plan, schematic design, working drawings, supervision, and consulting work to support the local management company for the "regional development facilities" in the "Kawarayu District" and "Yokobe District" of the relevant areas. The Kawarayu District is a tourist destination with Kawarayu Onsen, which has been around for over 800 years, and is adjacent to JR Kawarayu Onsen Station. From the perspective of location characteristics, scenery, and business scale, we proposed a "Station Front x Campsite & BBQ x Hot Spring Facility" business. While listening to the opinions of the local residents, Naganohara Town, and Gunma Prefecture, we comprehensively planned and produced the project, from the launch and support of the local management body, to attracting a campsite management partner company, consulting on the business plan, and facility design, layout. The facility is divided by the JR Agatsuma Line, and consists of the "Kawarayu Onsen Play Base NOA" with a cafe and hot spring on the upper level, and the "Kawarayu Onsen Station Campground" with a plaza where you can enjoy BBQ and bonfires, a wood-burning bath, a tent sauna, and canoeing and kayaking on the dam lake on the lower level. [Social Issues / Customer Issues / Requests] [Business] It was necessary to understand what it means for the local residents to rebuild their lives and create a purpose in life. Through repeated discussions with the residents, issues were identified that aim to revitalize the area, such as coexistence with the hot spring town, promotion of employment for local people, especially young people, and encouraging the outflow of the population to return to their hometowns. In addition, they requested that the facility be differentiated from facilities planned in other areas and similar facilities, and have the ability to attract customers and be unique. [concept design] They requested that concept design be unique to the area, taking into consideration the bridge that tourists passing by to visit the dam and visibility from the opposite bank, which is a busy area, and that the facility be easy to operate by harmonizing the complex multi-purpose facilities (hot springs, restaurants, rest areas, observation decks, tenants, conference rooms, etc.). [Solution] [Business aspect] The Yamba Dam project took 70 years from planning to completion, but there were arguments for and against the construction of the dam, and many residents moved out. From the perspective of launching the project, we focused on proposing a business plan with multiple perspectives and a bird's-eye view. We listened to the various business ideas desired by the local residents, made recommendations on how to make them feasible, made adjustments to avoid competition with businesses in the surrounding area, and differentiated each facility, aiming for a project that emphasized the uniqueness of each area. [concept design aspect] The concept was the "Azuma River," which is the origin of the name of the former Kawarayu area. As we proceeded with concept design, we received feedback from local residents that it looked like a "boat rising with the area on board," so we created a distinctive building that symbolizes the two concepts. For the interior space, we planned a gently curving flow line and slope that combined various functions to match the long and narrow shape from east to west, making it an easy-to-use space with mobility. <Our project members> [Sales/Project Management] Satoshi Arai, Hitomi Yamamoto [Planning/Consulting] Kenichi Sakazume, Yuki Shimokuni [design, layout] NAU: Sakae Kirioka, Nana Osano