Chiaki Arai Urban & Architecture Design

Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center

Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
© Taisuke Ogawa

NIIGATA CITY KONAN WARD CULTURAL CENTER

Chiaki Arai Urban and Architecture Design

ARCHITECTS
Chiaki Arai Urban and Architecture Design

AIR CONDITIONING
Akira and Hakushin joint venture

LOCATION
Niigata, Japan

PHOTOGRAPHS
Taisuke Ogawa, Kouichi Satake, Chiaki Arai Urban and Architecture Design

ACOUSTICAL CONSULTANT
Nagata Acoustics

AREA
5002 m²

YEAR
2012

ELECTRICAL SERVICES
Ogisou and Yuwa and Nagai and Minden joint venture

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
Tis&partners Co., Ltd.

DESIGN TEAM
Chiaki Arai ,Ryoichi Yoshizaki, Miroku Arai, Chiaki Hamamatsu, Yoshihiko Murase

ENGINEER AND AIR CONDITION
Sogo Consultans

CONTRACTOR
Fujita and Akiha and Kitamoto joint venture

LANDSCAPE
Chiaki Arai Urban and Architecture Design

CATGORY
Cultural Center

GAS SERVICES
Hokuriku Gas Co.,Ltd. Niigata branch

THEATER CONSULTANT
Theatre Workshop

INTERIOR
Chiaki Arai Urban and Architecture Design

SANITARY SERVICES
Echihai Co.,Ltd.

Text description provided by architect.

This is a complex institution composed of Multipurpose Theatre, Library, Local Museum, and Community Center, which maximizes the merit of compounding four different programs. Each of four zones is connected by a circulation corridor named "Cross Street".

Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
© Chiaki Arai Urban and Architecture Design
Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
© Taisuke Ogawa

Developed in the workshops with local, the spaces were designed based on somesthetic experiences, human scale and usability of the rooms.

The structure follows the space, and the uneven elaborate walls distribute the air conditioning and the natural lights. Its concrete structure with fissure functions as a breathing skin to activate the building.

By installing movable sliding walls, separated rooms can be connected as one to maximize the limited spaces.

Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
© Chiaki Arai Urban and Architecture Design
Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
© Taisuke Ogawa

Individual rooms, such as music practice room, are organized as vertically nested structures, and the gap between the nested structure and the sky lights on the roof fills up the Cross Street with the soft light. It is not a consistent, but the inconsistent space.

The structure follows the space, and the wall controls building facilities in step of the wall and using the gap. And also forms the space where light leaks from the interval of the breathing wall. It is not a consistent, but the inconsistent space.

The Hall is a 413-seat multipurpose hall. Inside the hall, multiple, softly curving bands of light make a strong visual impression and delineate the curves of the stepped side wall and the ceiling.

The side walls are punctuated at random intervals with 7000 circles that have one of three properties. Each circle adds light, promotes sound diffusion or adds sound absorption.

Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
© Taisuke Ogawa
Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
© Taisuke Ogawa

The circles are implemented for both interior design and acoustical objectives. Another feature of the Hall is the configurable depth of the stage.

We designed the stage acoustic reflector system. We also devised a mechanism of supports attached to the rear concrete structure of the stage to realize the movable acoustic reflector of the stage.

Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
© Taisuke Ogawa
Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
© Taisuke Ogawa

The arms of the mechanism can push the acoustic reflector to a position that adds about 3 m. to the depth of the stage. (The standard configuration is 8 m. and the alternate configuration is 11 m.)

The alternate configuration gives this otherwise small-scale hall sufficient stage area to host large orchestras. The color palette for the seats' upholstery includes a yellow-green background with shades of brown and orange woven into the fabric. Like a rice ears in the rice fields.

Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
© Kouichi Satake


Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
East Elevation
Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
West Elevation
Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
North Elevation
Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
South Elevation


Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
Section 1
Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
Section 2


Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
Mezzanine Floor Plan
Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
Gridiron
Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
Ground Floor Plan

Niigata City Konan Ward Cultural Center
Second Floor Plan

Chiaki Arai Urban & Architecture Design
T +81 3 37605411 F +81 3 37605415
Chiaki Arai Urban & Architecture Design
2-14-19-2F Yutenji, Meguro-Ku,Tokyo 153-0052, Japan