Chiba Prefectural Agriculture and Forestry Research Center

The new main building of the Chiba Prefectural Agricultural and Forestry Research Center was established as a new research center to respond to significant changes in the environment surrounding the agricultural and forestry industries and to consolidate research buildings dispersed throughout the Honjo area in conjunction with organizational restructuring. In designing the building, the aim was to create a community-based research facility that blends in with the surroundings, is user friendly for all visitors with a clear zoning strategy, and can be flexibly used in future years. The facility’s structure is largely divided into an area open to the public and a research area. The area for the public is an open atrium space of 18m x 21.6m with no pillars, and the interior is warmly decorated with wood from Chiba Prefecture. The research area is composed mainly of experiment zones without partitions to encourage open innovation, and the modularized equipment and piping outlets allow for flexible changes in the equipment layout. The exterior was designed with wooden louvers made of timber from Chiba Prefecture to create a rich expression with a balance between sun shading and openness, aiming for a research facility attractive to the locals.