Location: Ina Nagano, Japan.

Architect: Takenaka Corporation.

Ina, a city in Nagano prefecture, Japan, is surrounded by nature and has become a successful business place affiliated with Shinjuku, one of the most densely populated cities in Japan. Shinjuku controls and conserves Ina’s forests while it fulfills a regulated amount of carbon dioxide absorption for Shinjuku. This political friendship benefits some companies as well as vigorous climbers. Food manufacturing companies have set up their factories in Ina to make their products with its clean air and water and they also provide guided tours to promote their products and attract potential customers. Hanamaruki, a food manufacturing company specializing in miso, has set its main factory in Ina and plans to make a visitor hall next to the factory as its hundred-year anniversary which enables the guests to learn how miso is made and have a hands-on experience.

The building is integrated with its surrounding rocky mountains and shows a dynamic contrast of its nature. The iconic shape encloses an interior space with two smoothly connected areas: a hands-on miso-making activity hall designed to maximize the view of the beautiful scenery, and a lecture hall where visitors can learn about miso-making by watching video presentations. In order to achieve this spatial configuration in a streamlined manner, concrete folded-plate walls become the main structure without columns or beams in the middle. A parametric design study was also conducted to derive the shape that would yield the smallest values for “strain energy in response to horizontal force” and “concrete weight.” Both its outstanding shape with the interior configuration makes it a rock crystal and strengthens its integration with the surrounding mountains.

Photo credit: Noboru Inoue.