Fukushima Prefectural Government Office North Building

Fukushima Prefecture Office North Building re-consolidated the local agencies that were housed in No.1 building of the eastern branch office, which was rendered unusable by the Great East Japan Earthquake. It also developed new crisis management centers, such as an Emergency Management Headquarters, to make this government office a center for the safety and peace of mind of the prefecture’s people. The layout plan maintained the functions of the basement parking lot of the old prefectural office building, while making the most effective use of the site. Each local agency was consolidated on one floor, with welfare agencies placed on the first floor for the convenience of the public. The plan made the working areas into orderly shapes that will be able to adapt flexibly to future organizational changes. The east and west sides used the simple design with latticed facades that was the design code of the old prefectural office building. The north side used walls made with wood-patterned PC molds, emphasizing verticality, to add expression and rhythm to the exterior. Intended to be a crisis management office able to function immediately after an earthquake, the building uses a foundation seismic isolation structure and is equipped with emergency generators and other independent equipment. The office building is also designed to be kind to people and care for the environment, with measures such as universal design, use of timber grown in the prefecture, and effective application of natural energy.