Architect Hiroshi Nakamura incorporated around 700 windows donated by the local community into the facades of this waste recycling facility in the town of Kamikatsu, the first place in Japan to pass a zero-waste declaration.
The Kamikatsu Zero Waste Center is made predominantly using waste materials and features on the shortlist of the sustainable building category for Dezeen Awards 2021.
The Kamikatsu Zero Waste Center in Japan was designed by Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP
Tokyo-based studio Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP was commissioned by the town of Kamikatsu to design an environmentally friendly facility that encapsulates the community's values as pioneers of waste processing.
In 2003, Kamikatsu became the first municipality in Japan to issue a Zero Waste Declaration, which means that all waste produced by its inhabitants is recycled or reused rather than being sent to landfill or for incineration. It is located in first place in the country to pass a zero-waste declaration
The town, which is located an hour's drive from the nearest city, Tokushima, was forced to take action when legislation decreed that its incinerator could no longer be used due to unsafe levels of dioxin emissions.
The community gradually developed a system that sees waste separated into 45 categories, with a recycling rate that surpasses 80 per cent.
The main building has a horseshoe-shaped plan
The recycling centre provides a focal point for recycling activities and allows those involved to share their ...