sou fujimoto revives ishinomaki cultural center as a row of gabled volumes

a cultural center reborn in Ishinomaki

The MARUHONmakiart Terrace, located in Miyagi, Japan, was built as part of the Ishinomaki Cultural Center’s revival efforts following the devastating Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami in 2011. Designed by Sou Fujimoto Architects, the goal was to create a complex cultural facility that would symbolize Ishinomaki city’s recovery and serve as a catalyst for revitalizing the community. The architectural vision encompassed various functional spaces, including a large hall, a small hall, an exhibition area, a public gallery, and a learning space, all intended to be accessible and inviting to a diverse range of visitors.

images © Masaki Iwata + Sou Fujimoto Architects

Segmented Linear Arrangement

With the architectural plan for the MARUHONmakiart Terrace, the architects led by Sou Fujimoto embraced a simple and linear arrangement, extending approximately 170 meters (560 feet) along a slender lobby. To create a series of town-like spaces, the linearly arranged programs were segmented through the utilization of parallelogram volumes topped by gable-roofs. This arrangement allowed for the integration of functions highly utilized by citizens, such as practice studios and ateliers, which protrude into the lobby space. Consequently, the interlocking effects of various scales emerged, further enhancing the segmentation within the linear lobby.

Creating Comfortable Spaces

A meticulous approach was undertaken to ensure the overall space, including furniture selection and placement, as well as the density of signs and lighting fixtures, facilitated citizens in finding a comfortable place within their daily lives. The intention was to foster an environment where local students could study after school, people could engage in conversations, and reading could take place. As these rooms and functions began to resemble huts within the lobby space, small house-shaped and chimney-shaped volumes were placed on the lobby roof. This design element brought in natural light and provided ventilation, mimicking the image of smoke exhaust.

Large Facility, Human-Scale Structure

Through the incorporation of house-shaped and chimney-like volumes, the MARUHONmakiart Terrace achieved a delicate balance between being a 13,000-square-meter large facility and a human-scale structure. Its distinct identity evokes various impressions and meanings, akin to a small town. The intention behind this design approach was to create a building that would not impose a singular effect as a landmark but would embrace ambiguity and flexibility, allowing individuals to share their own interpretations while maintaining a strong presence. The row-like arrangement of house-shaped volumes pays homage to the memory of the buildings that once lined the former Kitakami River, which flourished through water trade.

Flexible and Unified Performance Spaces

The large hall of the MARUHONmakiart Terrace was designed to respond flexibly to the balance between the number of seats and the type of performance. The second-floor seats were divided with curtains, enabling the utilization of the middle hall scale within the first floor as needed. The interior of the hall, characterized by a black backdrop, accentuates the presence of the stage and the audience seats, fostering a sense of unity between performers and spectators. In contrast, the small hall features a flat floor style with rollback chairs, catering not only to theatrical performances and music appreciation but also to exhibitions and shows.

sou fujimoto Balances Program and Context

Sou Fujimoto Architects approached the MARUHONmakiart Terrace with precision, considering the programmatic requirements and the context of the site. The architects contemplated its usage, history, future prospects, public nature, and human nature, deciphering the interactions that would occur within the space. Despite the architecture’s seemingly simple composition of subdivided and clustered scales, the MARUHONmakiart Terrace represents a departure from conventional rural public complexes, offering a new way to contemplate and engage with such spaces.

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project info:

project title: Ishinomaki Cultural Center

architecture: Sou Fujimoto Architects | @sou_fujimoto

location: Ishinomaki City, Miyagi, Japan

completion: 2021

photography: © Masaki Iwata + Sou Fujimoto Architects

landscape architecture: GLAC

engineering: Arup

project team: Sou Fujimoto, Shintaro Honma, Masaki Iwata, Shohei Inada, Miki Shibata, Reo Akiyama, Sei Hosaka, Francesco Zonca, Tomonori Kitamura, Kozo Sasaki, Megumi Sato, Naganobu Matsumura, Hideto Chijiwa, Toshiyuki Nakagawa, Nobuyuki Tejima, Kanae Shimamura, Minako Suzuki, Kei Sasaki, Tang Li Qun, Hiroki Nakagawa, Seiya Ueki