Works#Biodiversity/Water

"Wandaria Yokohama Supported by Umios" is an immersive experience facility planned and operated by DeNA, which opened in "BASEGATE Yokohama Kannai," a large-scale mixed-use complex in front of JR Kannai Station. Our company was in charge of the basic concept, spatial design, and some of the construction of the Wandaria Cafe and Wandaria Shop. Through the unique effects of digital imagery, lush forests and the mysterious deep sea unfold before your eyes, creating an overwhelmingly immersive experience space that facilitates new encounters with living creatures and nature. Furthermore, the immersive experience is further enhanced by linking with a dedicated app. By holding a smartphone over the creatures that appear, you can obtain detailed information or collect them as cards, creating a space that encourages exploration, collection, and learning, expanding visitors' perception and curiosity, and allowing them to re-examine the world from a new perspective.

As part of a renovation project for Kanatsu Giken Kogyo, a general construction company in Shimane Prefecture, we created an unprecedented office space that harmonizes nature and technology.

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.

In conjunction with the renovation of the Suntory Tennensui Beer Factory in Musashino, Tokyo, our company reconstructed the spatial design of the Theater Hall, which is located at the entrance to the tour route, and the sake storage tank area within the manufacturing process. As a new challenge in this renovation, we installed a 3D sound system in the Theater Hall, evolving it from a simple place to watch videos into an experiential theater where visitors can "feel the brand philosophy."

The Hiroshima Motomachi Aquarium, which opened in Hiroshima Prefecture, has adopted displays concept of "A Museum of Water and Life," and expresses the strength and transience of life by displays the underwater world and the activities of living creatures, conveying a different message in each of its eight stages (scenes). Each stage is connected, reflecting the charm of living creatures that live in diverse environments and depicting the facility's theme, "The Stage of Life." "Welcome" fantastically depicts the beginning of life, and the next "Forest" conveys the changing seasons and the vitality of the forest. "White" shows a world that has lost its color and the brilliance of life, and "Marine Note" and "Coral" introduce the diverse ecosystems of the sea and the colors of coral reefs. "The Flowers, Birds, Wind, and Moon of the Sea" expresses the mystery and beauty of the underwater world, and "Zipangu" depicts the traditional beauty of Japan and the elegance of goldfish. In the final "Message," through a clock that marks the time of extinction and evolution, it appeals to the transience of life and responsibility for the future, providing emotion and resonance. To deliver a deep understanding of the concept and evoke emotion, we incorporated immersive experiences and interactive displays that stimulate the five senses.

The Osaka University of Arts Animal Diorama Museum, "Geidai Zoo," is the world's first animal diorama museum within a university, where students from all departments can use it as teaching material for artistic expression, such as drawing animals or conceptualizing animal characters. Under the direction of Kenji Wakao, Professor and Head of the Liberal Arts Program at Osaka University of Arts and the overall producer, taxidermied animals donated by the Shiga Safari Museum were used to displays each animal in its natural habitat. Three diorama areas were created: "African Grassland," "African Forest," and "Rocky Grassland." In addition, areas were set up to displays taxidermied heads, wapiti fighting, and moose, categorized by species and region. Our company was responsible for everything from design to construction, including taxidermy research and restoration, and applications to the Ministry of the Environment.

Located in Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, the Kaikyokan Aquarium is a popular aquarium known for its diverse displays of pufferfish, a unique feature of Shimonoseki, and one of the largest penguin displays in Japan. It also boasts "lifestyle displays" that focus on the natural habits and behaviors of animals. This latest large-scale renovation, the first since the aquarium opened, involves updating and renovating aging equipment, as well as revamping displays. The new concept design, which prioritizes functionality, meets the expectations of visitors to the facility, which is widely loved in the Chugoku and Kyushu regions, as well as the local area.

We renovated "Mitette," a new interaction area at the Kyoto Aquarium, located within Umekoji Park in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto City, which attracts a wide range of visitors from children to adults. The new area offers a variety of functions, including displays about the aquarium, workshops, and a rest area. The space is designed to help visitors appreciate the Kyoto Aquarium even more by learning not only about the animals themselves, but also about the staff's passion for them and the activities of the staff and the aquarium.

As the host country of the 2025 Japan International Exposition (Osaka-Kansai Expo), which will be held under the theme of "concept design a Future Society Where Life Shines," Japan's pavilion, themed "Between Life and Life," allows visitors to feel the significance of "circulation" through a seamless connection between displays and architecture. The Japan Pavilion, which embodies the relay of life with its circular structure, has a unique presence as the host country's pavilion. In addition to a flow of movement that naturally draws visitors into the Japan Pavilion as they walk around its perimeter, its most distinctive feature is the countless "wooden planks" arranged in a circle. Through the gaps between them, visitors can catch a glimpse of the interior, and the continuity between inside and outside, displays and architecture, gives visitors an opportunity to become aware of the "in-between" space that is also the theme of the Japan Pavilion. Another feature of this pavilion is the concept of "Japan Pavilion that eats garbage." Garbage generated at the Expo site will be decomposed by the action of microorganisms and converted into energy and water. This "living pavilion" allows visitors to relive the process through an installation*, experiencing firsthand how the generated energy and water power the Japan Pavilion. As they tour the pavilion, which is composed of three zones, they can feel the significance of "circulation," a core aspect of Japanese aesthetics, and realize that they themselves are part of this long and grand narrative. In addition, by using "wooden panels" mainly made of CLT (cross-laminated timber) and steel for the structure, CLT is used in the simplest and most symbolic way possible. The CLT used in the Japan Pavilion is planned to be reused by companies and local governments throughout Japan after the Expo, and has been designed to be easily dismantled and repurposed. By understanding the value of "circulation," which underlies the Japan Pavilion's theme, "Between Life and Life," we aim to encourage visitors to re-examine the circulation that is so close to us, leading to an exploration of the future of society and hints for a sustainable future. Our company is responsible for displays concept design (schematic design, working drawings), construction, and operation of this Japan Pavilion. *A contemporary art form in which the entire displays space is experienced as a work of art. The audience walks around the space, enjoying the artwork through sight, sound, and other senses.

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.

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.

Meiji Park, a Tokyo Metropolitan Park, opened in October 2023 as the first Tokyo Metropolitan Park to utilize the Public-Private Partnership (Park-PFI) system based on the Urban Parks Act. The project site covers approximately 1.6 hectares of the front yard space of the National Stadium, and Tokyo Legacy Parks Co., Ltd., a consortium of six companies with Tokyo Tatemono Co., Ltd. as the representative organization, is responsible for the development, management, and operation of the new park. Our company was consulted by Tokyo Tatemono Co., Ltd. in 2021 and was in charge of overall planning direction and architectural design supervision. We worked closely with the client to create a new park that embodies the concept of "creating a park that will become a legacy of Tokyo, a city that the world can be proud of," and were involved in creating a new park life that meets diverse needs such as well-being and diversity. The park includes three plazas, such as the approximately 1,000 m² lawn area "Hope Plaza" and the "Path Plaza" which incorporates a water feature inspired by the Shibuya River, as well as a wooded area of approximately 7,500 m² called "Pride Forest." Furthermore, we created a lively atmosphere by incorporating publicly solicited park facilities (five retail buildings) to improve convenience for park users. Currently, each building houses a cafe, relaxation facilities, restaurants, and an outdoor activity shop. We also handled the business planning and construction (excluding the sauna area) of the first "TOTOPA" urban spa facility newly developed by Tokyo Tatemono Group*. Located on the 2nd and 3rd floors of Building A of the retail complex, it features a sauna, a cold plunge pool with a depth of approximately 160cm, a fitness area, and various lounges. *Developer: Tokyo Tatemono, Operator: Tokyo Tatemono Resort

Kubota Corporation, whose mission is to solve social issues in the food, water, and environment business areas, has opened an agricultural learning facility in Hokkaido Ballpark where visitors can learn about the charm and potential of "food and agriculture" in a fun and delicious way. Targeting children as its main audience, the facility is based on the concept of a place where everyone can learn and think together for the future, and has constructed an experiential story revolving around three key factors essential to solving the challenges facing food and agriculture. In particular, the "AGRI QUEST course," aimed at elementary school students in the fourth grade and above, allows participants to learn about the fun and diversity of agricultural management by working as part of a team as an agricultural manager, while the "TECH LAB" allows them to experience the importance of agritech by interacting with cutting-edge smart agriculture and plant factories. A café serving menus made with carefully selected ingredients is also attached. Our group provided a wide range of solutions, including not only planning, design, and construction, but also facility operation, café operation, and event decoration.

持続的に緑とともに生きる社会を考えるきっかけを創出することを目的とし、三井不動産様とディスカバー・ジャパン様の主催により、“木”を知り、学びを深めるイベントとして東京ミッドタウン日比谷にて開催されました。2023年8月刊行の雑誌『Discover Japan』の特集「木と生きる」をテーマとしたリアルイベントです。本イベントを象徴する空間として、1階アトリウムをイントロダクションエリアとしました。木彫作品のインスタレーション展示にあたり、当社は木彫作品を包み込む空間を実現するため、木の香りや音、光に包まれながら、五感で体験する「木とのかかわり合い方」をコンセプトとしました。当社は本空間演出のデザイン・設計、施工を担当しました。また、東京ミッドタウン日比谷 地下通路でのパネルエキシビジョンでは、当社R&D活動の“手で考えるデザイン「手ザイン」”の活動紹介と試作品実物展示を行いました。

千里中央公園再整備にかかる活性化事業として、旧公園管理事務所の建築・内装・ランドスケープをリノベーションし、千里中央公園について地域住民と共に考え、共につくる施設を計画しました。当社では、コンセプトであるPLAY 1OOORE SCENESの「3つのO」（Open・Ordinary・Organic）の考え方をベースに、公園ならではの体験価値を楽しめるカフェ「SEN℃」、ミニショップ「パークローソン千⾥店」、コミュニティスペース「LABO」の企画協⼒、デザイン・設計、施工、公園活性化事業企画・運営を行っています。地域住民と共に行う取り組みとしては「色をみつけて、色をつくる」「たてもの丸ごとぬる」のイベントの開催・運営を通じて、公園内で見つけた色でラボ棟の外壁を彩り、ここにしかない価値を創出しました。