Osaka International University / Osaka International College Building No.1

This facility, which is an interim project in the “Moriguchi Campus Master Plan 2011,” provides space and environment for highly-international learning and research, to turn creation into tangible forms through an interactive and global spirit of intellectual inquiry. It replaced the old No.1 school building on the same location, but it had to add the extra research labs and lecture theater necessitated by the foundation of a new faculty. To that end, we planned to expand and enhance the “place” to inspire the students into enjoyable new activities, and the “environment” to accept the faculty and students relocating from the Hirakata campus. We chose the theme of incentivizing students to drop in and use the building, and planned experimental spaces that would foster mutual communication between students, and generate a chain of independent action. We provided spacious learning commons at the center of the first floor, and scattered communication spaces on each floor, starting from that area, to make the entire building into a learning commons. The exterior expression of the school building is composed of brown mosaic tiles, horizontally continuous windows, and gridded windows. Our aim was to create an orderly and refined new face for the campus that would generate a feeling of jaunty lightness and openness. We made a motif from the words “Global Mind,” which express the principles of the campus, and the letters “OIU,” which form the university’s logo. The motif was used to create textile-like design patterns that extend throughout the space. We aimed to keep the campus’ principles constantly in the minds of the students and teaching staff, and to contribute to social appeal, in order to strengthen the campus’ brand and show its strong attitude of challenging a new era.