Fukushima's Sukagawa City in Japan was badly damaged by the region's earthquake in 2011, with some parts completely destroyed. Now, the local municipality is ramping up its rebuilding and revitalisation efforts with a new community centre, recently opening to a design by Tokyo-based studio Unemori Architects. The welcoming, sculptural building includes a library, a museum, a lecture hall, childcare support and a café, and was created in consultation with the local community, enhancing functionality and sustainability.
The Sukagawa Community Center announces its arrival through a series of confident moves. Built in collaboration with Ishimoto Architectural & Engineering Firm, the structure is a bold composition of glass, metal, clean, orthogonal forms, cantilevers and set-backs, which give the overall volume a distinctive, geometric appearance. Inside, the spaces are flowing and mostly open plan, enhanced by double-height ceilings and large glazed expanses that make for an airy and minimalist interior.
The exterior's glass-and-metal composition is contrasted by timber cladding inside. The total floor area of 13,698 sq m extends over five levels. A series of consultations with the local community and a public forum helped the architects define the interiors and functions, to better serve its visitors. Outside, open terraces and sheltered spaces created by the building’s cantilevered forms offer further recreation and seating areas for the public.
‘The Sukagawa Community Center offers a wide range of cultural and recreational activities that are assigned different activity themes, such as Raise, Play, Create, Learn and Meet,' say the architects. ‘Unemori Architects divided the facility into different areas of action, offering various opportunities for people to meet, to engage in activities and to interact with knowledge.'
Creating strong links with the local community, responding to its needs and designing a building based on key, universal architectural qualities – such as light, space and quality materials – the architects have delivered a building that will no doubt enrich and help regenerate Sukagawa's city centre, both through its well considered programme and its architecture. §
INFORMATION
-
The Substance may be grotesque, but it is not body horrorThe Substance, Coralie Fargeat's sophomore feature film, has already been granted the moniker body horror, due its visceral imagery and mutations of the body
-
Shigeru Ban wins 2024 Praemium Imperiale Architecture AwardThe 2024 Praemium Imperiale Architecture Award goes to Japanese architect Shigeru Ban
-
Stone Island and New Balance team up for this year’s most sought-after sneakerPart of Stone Island’s monochromatic ‘Ghost’ line, the collaboration is inspired by both brand’s longtime links with British subculture
-
Shigeru Ban wins 2024 Praemium Imperiale Architecture Award
The 2024 Praemium Imperiale Architecture Award goes to Japanese architect Shigeru Ban
-
Pace Tokyo is a flowing Sou Fujimoto experience that ‘guides visitors through the space’Art gallery Pace Tokyo, designed by Sou Fujimoto in a Studio Heatherwick development, opens in the Japanese capital
-
How the Arc’teryx Tokyo Creation Centre is all about craft, openness and cross-pollinationArc’teryx launches its Tokyo Creation Centre, a hub for craftsmanship designed by Torafu Architects, embodying the brand's ethos
-
Craft store Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten at Narita airport is an ode to travelThe Japanese homewear and craft store Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten wows with bright interior made of moveable ‘trunks’ by Tokyo-based studio 14sd designs
-
Space Un celebrates contemporary African art, community and connection in JapanSpace Un, a new art venue by Edna Dumas, dedicated to contemporary African art, opens in Tokyo, Japan
-
Monospinal is a Japanese gaming company’s HQ inspired by its product’s worldA Japanese design studio fulfils its quest to take Monospinal, the Tokyo HQ of a video game developer, to the next level
-
Modern Japanese houses inspiring minimalism and avant-garde livingWe tour the best Japanese architecture and modern Japanese houses designed by international and local architects that open up possibilities for all types of lifestyle, from minimalist to communal in Japanese architecture.
-
An Aoyama House exemplifies a synergetic architect and client relationshipA client’s faith in his architect pays dividends in Aoyama House; a light-filled, effortlessly elegant Tokyo home
