Otemon Gakuin University Academic-Ark
A learning space for the Internet age – Located in the leafy city of Ibaraki in northern Osaka Prefecture, this project forms the core of the Ibaraki Smart Community, which occupies the 185,000 m2 site of a former Toshiba factory. The 40,000 m2 facility will serve as a new campus for about 3,600 students at Otemon Gakuin University, or about half the student population. As Internet technology, artificial intelligence, and mobility improve and students no longer need to be on campus to attend school, what form will universities take"
Photography by © Hisao Suzuki
Our task as architects was to think about how to design a learning site that would inspire students to make that trip to campus. Since ancient times, Japan?s shrines and temples have held a mystery and attraction that has drawn pilgrims from all corners of the country, turning these sites into lively gathering places. This concept informed our image of the learning spaces of the future. In order to attract people and concentrate activity in one area, we layered functions inside a single building. Our aim was to create a complex that welcomes diverse individuals, stimulates interest, invites exploration, and provides a place to spend time. We selected a triangular footprint as the most efficient shape for centralizing the excitement and energy of academic activity in a single space, and angled each corner of the building steeply inward to create inviting “...