Japan 2006Yusuhara Town Hall
The town of Yusuhara in Kochi Prefecture, known for its urban development using “Japanese Cedar”, has a new starting point for its community with the “Kino-machi Hall” (Town Hall), the largest scaled “Wooden” town hall in Japan.
Considering the snowing weather conditions, a large atrium is inserted, and an indoor plaza was created to connote facilities necessary by town members in everyday life such as bank, the Agricultural Cooperative Society, and the Chamber of Commerce. This atrium also functions as a space for traditional performances and festivals.
Local Japanese cedar has been used fully to the regulations, which made possible to create a double lattice girder structure with an 18 meter long span.
While making possible to visualize how cedar structural parts sustain the structure, this building aims to build an architecture capable of making people reconfirm the excellence of Japanese wooden structures.
The indoor plaza and exterior plaza, separated by a large sliding door used for hangars, becomes one only space which is used during spring festivals.
Awards14rh Public Buildings Association Award (Shikoku Region)
