Works#Sustainability

Producer Hiroaki Miyata's signature pavilion for the 2025 Japan International Exposition (Osaka-Kansai Expo), "Better Co-Being," is a pavilion without a roof or walls, standing as if blending into the adjacent "Forest of Tranquility." With the theme of "Resonating Lives," visitors are led through a resonant experience consisting of three sequences, starting from the unique connections they make when they gather on that day and at that time. In Sequence 1, visitors reflect on themselves and others, and rediscover "what connects us." By confronting diverse motifs, they become aware of the value of others and their own desires, gaining clues to resonance toward the future. In Sequence 2, they experience a perspective that resonates with nature, culture, and the lives nurtured there. Through the universal motif of "voice," they listen to global values and realize how the customs of distant regions connect to their own lives. In Sequence 3, visitors connect with one another and experience envisioning a better future while engaging with the world. By feeling connected to people and nature and creating a rainbow together, they acknowledge their differences while looking up at the same sky and gain a sense of moving towards the future. In the final epilogue, a unique video is screened that overlays the actions and environmental data experienced by visitors at that moment, providing clues to their connection with the world and their journey towards the future together. In this pavilion, our company was responsible for the production and installation of the art installation that forms the core of the resonant experience, as well as the installation displays work of communication equipment related to "echorb" (sponsored by Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.), a special device that guides visitors through the experience.

The Tochigi Children's Science Museum, having been in operation for over 35 years since its opening in 1988, underwent renovations to address the aging of its buildings and displays. This included extending the lifespan of the building and updating planetarium equipment and displays. Our company handled the entire process, from schematic design and working drawings of the large-scale renovation, including displays, interiors, and outdoor playground equipment, to the construction displays Based on an interactive approach, 156 displays and playground equipment incorporating new technologies such as AI and AR were created through a combination of newly manufactured and reused items. displays that have been beloved by the people of Tochigi for many years were also cleaned and refurbished for continued use. Furthermore, collaborative displays themed on the prefecture's natural environment and industries, a large symbolic displays, and a lounge were added, highlighting the museum's unique character as a science museum that reflects Tochigi's identity. This also aimed to reduce renovation costs, improve maintenance efficiency, and create a new science experience space that balances safety and functionality.

Prologis, a leading global company in the ownership, operation, and development of logistics real estate, has opened a multi-tenant logistics facility, "Prologis Park Kitakami Kanegasaki," in Kanegasaki Town, Iwate Prefecture. We were responsible for the exterior graphic and sign concept design, as well as the basic concept design and design supervision of the customer lounge area.

The Fukushima Reconstruction displays, sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, was held for five days from May 20th to 24th at EXPO Messe "WASSE" within the Osaka-Kansai Expo site. The event showcased the activities of people in the Hamadori region of Fukushima Prefecture and other areas who, despite facing a complex disaster involving earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster, have managed to preserve the region's culture and attractions and pass them on to the future. It also introduced new initiatives by various businesses developing cutting-edge robots, rockets, and other technologies.

For the "Wakayama Zone" of the Kansai Pavilion at the 2025 World Exposition in Japan (Osaka-Kansai Expo), we collaborated with Hideki Yoshimoto, the general director of the Wakayama Zone, to express "high-quality Wakayama." The video device "Totem," reminiscent of the giant trees of the Kii Mountains, is finished with Kishu lacquer, and the counter tables and chairs that provide dining experiences are also made of Kishu wood. Wakayama's traditional crafts and materials are utilized in the various elements that make up the space, condensing the charm of Wakayama, which is a source of pride for the world, into the space.

At "Japan Home Show & Building Show 2025," Japan's largest comprehensive architectural displays, we created displays booth to promote the new product "PANECO®," an environmentally friendly material upcycled from discarded clothing. Our company was responsible for the overall concept concept design, planning, and construction of the booth. Based on PANECO® and light gauge steel (LGS), we concept design a large structure approximately 4 meters high, with the floor, walls, and ceiling all constructed from PANECO®. The full-scale wall surface intuitively conveyed the scale of its use as an interiors building material, while the interior proposed living scenes that utilize PANECO®. By giving the exterior and interior of the booth different surfaces, we created displays booth that directly and impressively conveys that it can be used as both a base material and a finishing material, as well as the relationships between building materials, ease of construction, and the appearance and texture of the material itself.

The "Future City" Pavilion at the 2025 World Exposition, Japan (Osaka-Kansai Expo) is a joint exhibit project by the Expo Association and 12 supporting organizations. The Kubota Germination Lab is a research institute that addresses people's aspirations and global issues, and considers future food and agriculture that is friendly to both people and the earth. Life, food, and agriculture are connected from the past to the present and into the future, and we believe that we too play a role in these connections. This was a forum for participants to realize and consider the importance of each individual considering the entire food system, from production to consumption, and the importance of communicating the technology that supports the food system.

GORA KADAN KADAN FUJI, with its 42 guest rooms and public areas offering panoramic views of Mount Fuji's summit directly to the west, is the first accommodation facility opened by the historic Hakone inn, "GORA KADAN KADAN." Our company was responsible for the design, layout of the common areas in the reception building, including the lobby lounge, dining area, bar, spa, and shops, as well as concept design of the FFE (furniture, fixtures, and equipment) for all areas, including the guest rooms.

The renovation of the first and second floors of Barneys New York's Ginza flagship store was based on the concepts of "memory" and "creation," aiming to create a space that respects the tradition (=memory) that the brand has built up over many years while generating new value (=creation). By utilizing existing fixtures such as calm wood-grain walls and niches, and combining sustainable materials, materials that blend naturally with existing finishes, and unique, symbolic fixtures, the store aims to fuse timeless quality with challenging humor. The watch workshop at the back of the first floor was planned as a "visible customer service" space, and the experience of staying there is enhanced by providing a semi-private consultation space that gives a sense of privacy. In addition, the newly installed cafe counter was designed with visibility from the outside in mind, aiming to attract new customers. As you proceed to the second floor, which is connected by the central staircase, mirror walls at different angles are installed so that the entire floor can be seen, forming an iconic look. Further back, a display is placed in front of the vintage area to improve attraction and flow. Within a short construction period and limited budget, we achieved a reliable concept design proposal by actively reusing existing fixtures and conducting rapid verification using point cloud data. The project resulted in creating an iconic and luxurious space that embodies Barneys' unique style, inheriting tradition while pioneering the future.

The Sumitomo Pavilion at the 2025 Japan International Exposition (Osaka-Kansai Expo) is a pavilion where visitors can experience a grand "story of life" set in the "UNKNOWN FOREST." With lanterns in hand, children and adults alike can freely wander through the forest and experience the interconnectedness of life that is usually unseen. In response to the movements of visitors, light and mist change, and the "story of life" in nature emerges in the forest, depicting trees conversing in the soil, the life cycle of trees spanning hundreds of years, and the animals and fungi lurking in the forest. In a theater deep within the forest, the trajectory and fragments of memories of the Mother Tree, which has watched over this forest, from its birth to its end, are depicted. The wind and mist that drift through the space stir the senses of visitors, and the climax is reached with a powerful performance in which layered images, music, and people merge. After the forest experience, visitors will explore the "Seeds of the Future" area, where over 700 cutting-edge technologies and initiatives from the Sumitomo Group are displays, leading to a platform utilizing generative AI where anyone can create and share ideas for the future. The Sumitomo Pavilion itself was constructed using approximately 1,000 cedar and cypress trees planted in 1970, the year of the Osaka World Expo. In addition to their experience at "UNKNOWN FOREST," visitors can participate in a "tree-planting experience" where they can touch seedlings and soil, and the newly grown seedlings will be returned to the original forest. This "story of life" will continue even after the Expo, and will be passed on to future generations.

This project involved the opening of the first "Real×Tech LAWSON" store in KDDI's new Head Office, utilizing AI and DX technologies. In addition to the basic construction of the new store concept design, our CIC (Content Integration Center) leveraged its high level of expertise in technology to propose various ideas and produce the store in order to utilize AI and DX technologies. Furthermore, the store was designed with sustainability in mind, such as reusing discarded uniforms worn by Lawson store staff as flooring and discarded clothing as panels. The signage installed in the store is linked to "City OS," a data platform for collecting, analyzing, and utilizing various urban data, and displays information such as weather, train delays, city congestion, and event information. In addition, the store incorporates many new initiatives aiming to make convenience stores an integral part of urban infrastructure, such as a "cleaning robot" that runs around the store, "signage" that displays recommended products in response to customers' actions (such as reaching for items) in front of product shelves using AI cameras, and a "Ponta General Consultation Center" that supports the resolution of everyday problems.

"Ginza Niigata Information Center THE NIIGATA" is Niigata Prefecture's information hub for the Tokyo metropolitan area. Spanning five floors from the basement to the 3rd and 8th floors, it offers a variety of functions including retail spaces, a sake tasting corner, event spaces, a restaurant, and a consultation service for people considering relocating to Niigata. Our company was responsible for the design construction of the basement to the 3rd floor, as well as the facility's branding planning and brand logo development. In addition to Niigata's rich attractions such as "rice," "sake," and "snow," we planned the facility with "art" as the central theme of the planning and concept design. Through the use of Niigata-derived materials and displays scattered throughout, we aimed to create a facility that would allow people to feel the charm of Niigata and inspire them to visit Niigata.

Cartier, a brand that has always supported women, will be exhibiting at the Women's Pavilion at the Osaka-Kansai Expo. Based on the concept of "Toward a Future Where We Live Together and Shine Together," the pavilion will call for a fair and sustainable future through the experiences and perspectives of women. Through an artistic and overwhelming spatial concept design and an immersive displays experience using audio guides, the pavilion will highlight the contributions of women in society and invite visitors on a journey to unravel the "power of change."

The "Cities of the Future" pavilion at the 2025 Japan International Exposition (Osaka-Kansai Expo) is a joint exhibition project by the Expo Association and 12 sponsoring companies. The Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) displays place is based on the concept of "WIND VISION" and consists of a large-scale model of the hydrogen production ship "Wind Hunter," which MOL is developing, and a large screen. Interactive, experiential displays were created to allow visitors to feel the inexhaustible natural energy of "wind" that the Wind Hunter captures, and the "wind" as movement generated by the ship.

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.