Minami-Kyushu City in Kagoshima Prefecture is one of Japan’s leading tea-producing regions, known for its vast tea fields that create a distinctive landscape. To harmonize with the landscape created by the tea fields, a two-story, low-rise city hall was proposed to be built on the expansive, flat land. In an effort to capture the essence of Minami-Kyushu, the design explored a city hall featuring a series of vaulted roofs. These vaulted roofs are constructed using small L-angle arches in cross-section and horizontal bracing elements made of slender Sugi (Japanese cedar) logs. By placing the horizontal forces solely on the Sugi logs, it was possible to create a fire-resistant building that exudes a warm atmosphere, surrounded by wood.

Participating as the “Pacific Consultants, Ashida Architect & Associates Co., Ltd., ixrea design joint venture.”