kengo kuma plans louvered tomioka city hall in central japan

kengo kuma plans louvered tomioka city hall in central japan
all images courtesy of kengo kuma and associates

scheduled to be completed in 2017, kengo kuma‘s design for ‘tomioka city hall’ forms part of a larger urban redevelopment within the central japanese region. aligning the built forms with the surrounding natural environment, the scheme will house tomioka’s government, parliament and civil activities.

the program is centered around an expansive courtyard, with a collection of individual units situated under slated shed roofs. clad with timber louvers, each façade offers glimpses inside the volumes. internally, the generous provision of glazing and access to balcony space reaffirms the scheme’s connection with the neighboring landscape, offering views across the site. configured to be as flexible as possible, the development has been devised to respond to the town’s declining population and changing demographics.

a collection of individual units are oriented around a central courtyard

internally, glazing and access to balcony space reaffirms the scheme’s connection with the landscape

timber louvers offer glimpses behind the units’ façades

project info:

location: tomioka, gunma prefecture, japan
use: city hall
size: 8,500 sqm (91,493 sqf)
scheduled completion: july, 2017