Works#Architecture

This project involves the repair and restoration of the world's only surviving German-made B6 steam locomotive, housed at the FUJI Nagoya Science Museum, and the development of a "Railway Plaza" where three railway vehicles, including an old-style passenger car, will be displays outdoors. Aiming to create a place where visitors can experience the dynamic power of a 1904-manufactured steam locomotive in operation and learn about the principles of science and technology and the history of manufacturing, this project spanned over 10 years, with our company handling everything from the locomotive's restoration survey to the conceptual planning, design, and construction. In addition to the repair, restoration, and long-distance transportation of the vehicles, we also incorporated design administration for the outdoor displays facilities and presentation techniques that link to the dynamic displays of the B6 locomotive using transparent LED panels.

At the RITE Future Forest, a demonstration plant exhibited by the National Institute of Global Environmental Technology (RITE) at the 2025 Japan World Exposition (Osaka-Kansai Expo), we provided comprehensive production from planning, concept design, architecture, displays design and supervision to operational support. The facility is engaged in demonstration experiments of future technologies that are expected in the future by combining both DAC (Direct Air Capture)*1, which directly captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and CCS (Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage)*2, which stores carbon dioxide directly from the ground. This project aims to create a new forest in the future, by capturing carbon dioxide emitted by humans with human power. In the Guidance Building, we also worked on architecture as a demonstration experiment for new technologies, and realized the world's first future wooden construction technology, the CLT*3-fold structure hanging method, based on the concept of the forest of the future. The hang-up method is a conceptual method in which triangular CLT panels that are tightly connected to each other by hinge hardware are laid on a horizontal surface, and a specific part is lifted by a crane to deform it like origami under its own weight to form a folding plate structure. This time, by using this construction method, it was also an architectural demonstration project to create a large space with a structure with an expressive expression and to promote the spread of CLT structures that have both concept design, functionality, and construction. As a result, an architectural space that exudes a sacred atmosphere that exudes a sense of tightness has emerged, and the CLT folding structure itself made of domestic cedar has become a unique building that realizes an acoustic environment like a concert hall that resonates with displays videos and performances. After the exhibition, there are plans to relocate to the RITE headquarters in Kizugawa City, Kyoto Prefecture in order to use it as a sustainable building. Through exhibiting at the Expo and subsequent utilization, we addressed various social issues such as reducing carbon dioxide emissions, minimizing waste, and promoting the spread of CLT structures. *1 Technology to reduce CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere by removing CO₂ from the atmosphere *2 Technology to collect emitted CO₂ and store it in the ground *3 Wood-based materials made by layering and bonding the ground sheets so that the fiber directions are orthogonal after arranging them.

Spread out in front of the Koitoi coast in Hokkaido, "Roadside Station Shiranuka Koimunkan" is a facility where you can enjoy a comfortable car trip with a function as an RV park (*1), which is rare at a roadside station, and is equipped with showers, saunas, and laundromats. There are also restaurants that use local ingredients from Shiranuka Town, and on a clear day, you can overlook the beautiful scenery of the Koimun Coast from the "Azumashi Living" with a view of the sea and the observation deck on the second floor. In addition, based on the idea of "Japan's best child-rearing support" advocated by Shiranuka Town, the facility is equipped with a children's family space (Kokko Park). We participated mainly in the planning work of this project as a consortium member, and after being commissioned, we promoted the work as a member of the construction JV (*3), and handled a wide range of tasks such as interiors design and sign planning.  *1 A sleep-in facility certified by the Japan RV Association. *2 DBO (Design, Build, Operate): One of the public-private partnership methods in which design, construction, maintenance, management, and operation are comprehensively ordered from private companies. *3 Joint venture system. A business organization formed by multiple companies for the purpose of receiving and construction a single construction project.

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.

We concept design the entire house, from design administration concept design the interior and concept design. The site overlooks the Sea of Japan, and the surrounding area is characterized by a complex, intricate ria coastline, known as a scenic spot with dynamic geological formations called "caves." Looking at the surrounding area, a labyrinthine network of alleys creates a unique streetscape. This is a characteristic of the region, with its cranked, square-shaped intersections designed to prevent northerly winds from blowing through. By incorporating this unique alley configuration into the first-floor plan, we segmented the building volume and harmonized it with the surrounding environment. The exterior and entrance hall are designed to resemble the topography of the ria coastline, and the setback from the south ensures continuity with the streetscape. On the other hand, the north facade is raised one level above the surrounding area, creating a three-dimensional, square-shaped structure intended to prevent northerly winds from blowing through into the town. Regarding the exterior finish, in order to reflect the distinctive appearance of the ria coast, where the lower part is rocky and the upper part is covered with trees, we used exposed aggregate concrete to resemble rock on the lower layer and wood-grain concrete made with cedar formwork on the upper layer. Both the aggregate that is exposed on the surface and the cedar formwork materials are locally sourced, and we hope that the unique texture created by these materials will weave the distinctive scenery of the location into the future. In addition, this two-tiered structure is also applied to the interior finishes, creating a sense of unity with the architecture and contributing to the development of a cohesive feel between the interior and exterior.

This project was undertaken by Takekoma Shrine, one of Japan's three major Inari shrines, to create a vibrant community. Our company played a central role, forming a tripartite team involving the shrine, the local community, and our company. The team's work was broadly divided into five areas: "maintenance of the shrine's sacred grove," "establishment of a café," "revitalization of the local community," "promotion," and "creation of a new festival." Our company provided comprehensive production services, including planning, logo concept design, design administration, landscape concept design, construction, exterior work, café opening support, café menu development, product development, video production, and public relations. Our goal was to ensure that Takekoma Shrine continues to exist as an indispensable part of the lives of the citizens, in a sustainable way, for the future. 〇Comprehensive Production Details ① Identifying customer challenges ② Developing solutions ③ Considering implementation (operation) structure ④ Establishing implementation (operation) structure (leasing) ⑤ concept design based on the opinions of the shrine and operators ⑥ Product development (food and beverage menu, selection of products for sale) ⑦ Considering revitalizing the entire shrine ⑧ Creating a promotional video for the entire shrine ⑨ Considering CAFÉ promotion ⑩ Planning the opening ceremony ⑪ Attracting various media outlets ⑫ Implementing PDCA after opening ⑬ Creating a new festival ⑭ Creating a global promotional video for overseas markets. By soliciting supporters from our network (mainly local companies), we have established a system that can operate independently.

As a symbolic project aimed at enhancing the value of the area along the Tobu Skytree Line, "TOBU icourt," a commercial facility based on the concept of offering a "comfortable lifestyle" that satisfies all five senses of body and mind, has opened in the Dokkyo University area. Taking advantage of the characteristics of this area, which is home to educational and cultural facilities such as Dokkyo University and Matsubara Danchi Memorial Park, the facility has opened with a total of 24 stores, including a major supermarket offering lifestyle suggestions, to meet the diverse daily needs of various lifestyles. Furthermore, while further strengthening cooperation with the local community, including the government, residents, and the university, it will also play a role as a base for promoting urban development that enhances the attractiveness of the area. By holding events in the adjacent park and fostering new connections through interaction with the facility, the aim is to continue the vibrancy of the area. Our company was in charge of the development planning, leasing, concept design /design supervision, facility naming, and logo mark development for this facility.

Tochigi Health Checkup Plaza is a medical facility that relocated and reopened on January 15, 2024, for receiving health checkups and comprehensive medical examinations. In today's era, often referred to as the "100-year life era," regular health checkups and comprehensive medical examinations are more important than ever for managing one's health. To fulfill our customers' wish that their annual checkup day be a "rich and special day," we have created a hospitable space from architecture to interior and furniture concept design. To meet our customers' requests and broad concept design needs, we teamed up NAU (now the Architectural Production Department), which excels in total concept design on an urban planning and architectural scale, with an interior concept design team that specializes in the hospitality market, such as hotels. By leveraging each other's expertise and concept design comprehensively from architectural scale to human scale, we have created a space that alleviates the psychological anxiety of patients and allows them to spend their time comfortably and pleasantly. With its smart appearance symbolizing a cutting-edge medical facility and a space filled with elegant colors, we aimed to create a facility that would become a symbol of the city, rooted in the community and loved by its residents.

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

Initially, Akikusa Gakuen approached us with a request for seismic retrofitting work on their gymnasium. Along with the seismic retrofitting and the renewal of the gymnasium's facade and interiors, they requested that the passageway connecting the school building and the gymnasium be transformed from a "damp and dark atmosphere to a bright and clean passageway. They also wanted a space that the school could leave for future generations." This led to our design project to concept design a passageway space that expresses the identity of Akikusa Gakuen. The most important aspect of this project was creating a space that people would continue to cherish. Therefore, we created the origin of concept design in a workshop with students, and worked on a "concept design of the process" to foster affection and ensure its continuation. Students were asked to bring in photographs that expressed "Akikusa-ness," and we extracted the feelings embedded in them, which were then verbalized in the form of "#〇〇," and elevated into concept design that was incorporated into the passageway. We encouraged students to internalize concept design as something personal to them and spread it to those around them, so that the "Akikusa style" would be passed down through generations and people would continue to interact with the space with affection.

Following the 15th-anniversary renovation in 2013, where I was in charge of design and design supervision, I participated in the 20th-anniversary renovation from the planning stage. This milestone project marked the completion of the entire renovation after several previous renovations, and it reopened in 2019. The renovation included a complete overhaul of the welcome space on the first floor and the restaurant floor on the fifth floor, as well as updating the interior signage and installing new digital signage. Based on the concept of "Romanticship Umihotaru" from the 15th anniversary, the renovation differed from the fourth floor, which had large openings facing the sea, in that we created the image of the space using 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, undertaken by ARTH Group Co., Ltd. (Tosashimizu Resort LLC), which handles accommodation businesses and regional revitalization nationwide, aims to revitalize the entire city of Tosashimizu by transforming the long-established Ashizuri Pacific Hotel Hanatsubaki, a renowned inn at Cape Ashizuri in Kochi Prefecture, into "The Mana Village," one of Asia's leading resort facilities. The facility is located in the naturally rich area of Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park. Although it boasts a spectacular view, the hotel's interiors remained old, as if time had stopped in the Showa era. Initially, the plan was to install a small cafe area, but through repeated discussions, ARTH's vision expanded to include not only the hotel but also the entire Kochi prefecture and Tosashimizu city. It was reborn as a complex facility including an Italian restaurant, offering a luxurious space where guests can experience the nature of Ashizuri. Our company participated from the planning and concept design stage to enhance the facility's appeal, and was in charge of producing the facade, lobby common areas, guest rooms, and restaurant spaces, which are the face of the hotel. (design supervision for guest rooms and Italian restaurant) Starting with "LOQUAT Nishi-Izu" (renovation of an old house into an auberge) which we handled in 2021, we have been working as ARTH's creative partner, producing spaces that contribute to the creation and revitalization of attractive towns.

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.