From renewal to Renovation

Our company, which was an in-house design office for a developer for a long time, has a long history in this field, and in June 1995, we established a specialized department called the Renovation Architecture Department. However, the demands of society are shifting from simply replacing deteriorated materials with new ones to renovations that create new value. In response to this, we changed our name to the Renovation Design Department in April 2014 and have been actively working on projects.

As an example of Renovation, we would like to introduce the "Katsuki Project" conversion that we have been working on in Hiroshima. The plan is to change the use of an office building built in 1989 (Heisei 1) and completely renovate it to be a comprehensive medical building that will house medical facilities for obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, internal medicine, dermatology, and a nursery school. By effectively utilizing the existing urban infrastructure stock, we selected a conversion that is environmentally friendly, can shorten the project schedule as much as possible, and ensures economic rationality. Part of facade was demolished and removed to reduce the weight of the building, and seismic reinforcement was carried out to ensure the structural soundness of the building. On top of that, we applied a new facade design with a diverse and gorgeous expression suitable for a place of celebration for the birth and growth of children. Inside, we implemented planning and interior design that emphasized individual hospitality, from tenant offices for a large number of users to consultations, treatment, and hospitalization, and we also created a new rooftop garden, which was made possible by reducing the weight of the building and strengthening its seismic resistance. Rather than simply rebuilding it into something new, the comfort of its users and the value of the building were greatly improved, giving it a new lease of life.

Another Renovation example is the Renovation plan for the Otemachi Building, which is currently under design. It is a 31m-tall office building built in Otemachi, Tokyo, on a site that is 200m long, which is rare even in the city center. Built in 1958, the building has undergone several earthquake-resistance reinforcement works since 1998. After 60 years, the building has adopted the philosophy of challenging itself to be a 100-year-old building, and due to the unique shape of the long and shallow site, it has been decided to carry out a large-scale Renovation rather than rebuilding it. During the long-term renovation plan from the initial earthquake-resistance reinforcement work to the present day, the laws and regulations surrounding the building have also changed. The building will be renovated to the maximum extent possible within the time period and current legal regulations. In addition, since the building will be used by tenants and construction will proceed while construction is being carried out, it is necessary to consider and adjust the construction environment and conditions, construction period, and impact on the surrounding area. In other words, Renovation is not just about planning and designing, but also about managing everything in an exquisite balance, including choosing what added value can be enjoyed within the many constraints, long-term planning, construction, and building management.

As such, Renovation requires creativity and a long-term overall concept, just like new construction. In order to realize a society that truly utilizes architectural resources as a stock, regulatory reform and legal developments that support this are necessary.