Mizuho Town Office

This is a rebuilding project for a town office building of Mizuho town, located north-west of Tokyo. The project aimed for an “innocent” architecture that roots in the community and blends with the nostalgic scenery of Sayama Hills. It was realized by visualizing the “form”, “material”, and “hidden internal systems” as is. Curving roof that harmonizes with the Sayama Hills to the north, louver façade that corresponds to the curvature of the roof, and exposed concrete wall express the “innocence” of its structure and material, emphasizing the unique form of the architecture. Vertical louvers are equipped with PV panels, logically combining sun shading and power generating functions. It expresses the aggressive standpoint of the town towards environmental efforts. The welcoming plaza rich in greenery is connected to the town hall street to its west, the main axis of community center. The plaza could also be utilized for events. Since the building is near Tachikawa Fault, seismic isolation structure and inverted beam method (prevents drop-out of ceiling materials during earthquakes) are applied to give it a function as a disaster prevention base. Structural concrete slab for the ceiling of the lower level is kept exposed to show its raw appearance. Comfortable OZ (Occupied-Zone) HVAC from underfloor air distribution is achieved through the AC unit installed inside the raised floor (1.2m high).