DESIGNWORKS Vol.15

11/36

Special IssueEnvironmental Concept Model Architectural Competition 2010"Office renovation proposals aiming at increasing CO2 efficiency and asset values" Takenaka Corporation held an in-house competition on the theme of "Office Renovations with energy efficiency and CO2 efficiency while enhancing long-term asset values". It sought innovative or promoting renovation proposals which are feasible in a couple of years, for presently existing buildings or urban blocks. There were 48 submissions from all offices, and open review of the second stage was held by external judges in "Environmental Symposium" taken place on the 2nd of July 2010. We set out an environmental message, "Corresponsive to Human and Nature", in July 2010 and created an environmental concept towards 2050 as "Aiming to realise a carbon-neutral city through a zero-carbon building as well as enhancing human sensibility and creativity and making use of the potentials of natural environment". Moreover, we issued a brochure entitled "Environmental Concept Book towards 2050", to inform both the inside and the outside of the company. As a part of such activities, it was the second time, following last year, that environmental concept model architectural competition and environmental symposium were organised. The symposium was held at Takenaka's Tokyo main office as the main venue. Nearly 400 people participated in it by a TV conference system connecting among 7 offices of both the main and branch offices located all over Japan. Then, there were presentations for the 17 shortlisted works. Regarding the judges, there were 5 judges in total including three external judges: Yuichiro Kodama, Professor of Kobe Design University; Shin-ichi Tanabe, Professor of Waseda University; and Hiroaki Honda, Representative Director of Commercial Property Research Institute, Inc. and two internal judges: Teruo Watanabe, Executive Vice President; and Kiyoyuki Kadokawa, Senior Executive Managing Officer. They had active discussions with each presenter. In the open review, representatives for the 17 works made enthusiastic presentations. After lively discussions with the judges in question and answer session, one work for the first prize and five works for the second prize were awarded as a result of an open judging.Overall Assessment: Yuichiro Kodama, Review CommitteePractical Viewpoint and Refinement of Design Energy efficiency and resource efficiency are necessary for architecture in the coming sustainable society. Technological progress has remarkably made toward achieving these objectives. Efficiency of MEP system is one of the attempts. However, it is not competing for high efficiency in the existing paradigm in architecture, but building a new paradigm and seeking to solve problems within the newly created paradigm that have been gradually seen with suggestions for new performance, space and architecture. The ways of energy efficiency and resource efficiency have been increasingly diversifying. The theme this year of the second in-house competition was "Office renovations with energy efficiency and CO2 efficiency while enhancing long-term asset values". There were several keywords in this long theme. Not to mention low environmental impact in this era, the added value and high function to an office should be achieved, too. Besides, economy in the short term cannot be ignored while meeting the social demands on the effective use of existing stocks. And furthermore, an increase in long-term asset values would be indispensable. This theme had a lot of challenges. It would be considered that the reality is more likely to be sought as environmental consciousness is becoming common in the world. The main points of the theme were as follows.1) enhancing long-term asset values2) improving intellectual productivities3) decreasing environmental impacts This year two external judges took part in the competition. One was Mr. Honda who has widely sought not only how to manage offices but also how they should be in the near future, the other was Mr. Tanabe who has worked in respect of amenity and healthiness in the indoor environment housing in consideration of this site location abundant in the natural environment. A curtain wall has been widely generalized as an exterior system of buildings, but a fixed fitting single pane has been often used in many offices. How can we change the situation that MEP system has coped with a heavy HVAC load caused by it? This is a critical issue to be settled in this time. Therefore, it would be no accident that there were some renovation proposals targeting the same building. This proposal designs deep set back façades with balconies on the whole façades, greenscreen on the outside, and highly insulating fittings of wooden and movable types and ventilation fittings on the inside. Although the whole dwelling units face to the south, it would be possible to propose oriental responsive façades. "Green Belt" makes a proposal for a new multifunctional façade, by means of adding helically continuing terraces around the office building. This aims not only to enable people to access from outside, but also to function as a space for communication between a group of companies in the same building, as a space to refresh with a breeze and as a "respiration" of building covered by greens. The name of "Green Belt" means safety enhancement with a new way of seismic reinforcement for the whole building as well as a corridor to be a biotope in urban area and a full of greens. As for seismic reinforcement, there were many other unique proposals, and I saw that the experts in the field of structural engineering had much enthusiasm for their proposals. Making use of local wood is a centrepiece of promoting timber in Hokkaido. "An Urban park with Wooden Offices" is a proposal to attempt killing more than two birds with one stone if a large quantity of larch is successfully utilized for urban regeneration. Converting into a wooden building including the floor while only a skeleton of deteriorated RC construction is kept makes it possible to significantly reduce the weight of the building and to enhance the quake-resistance. It also plans highly-insulating wooden building envelops, an indoor climate control function stemmed from the nature of wood, an interior system making use of its texture and a heat source system with wood pellets. This is a renovation proposal with a full of the advantages of wood. Above all, the real feature of this is the name itself. It is a grand idea that all building facing to Sapporo Odori Park are going to be renovated based on this method. "TIMES OFFICE" is also a remarkable proposal even though it was not given a prize. It proposes a new rental system which numerous companies use with a completely new method. Supposing the system works, it will make it possible to design an entirely new office. I found that there is a possibility that this might lead to a new spatial system for the environmental control.for a long time and dealt with studies on intellectual productivities lately. Both have got a good reputation as a realist, while I tend to be an idealist. 50 works were submitted from the main and branch offices including overseas offices. Each was a combined in-house team consisted of designers, engineers and other experts. Although there were only a couple of idea-based proposals, the many were equally great works carefully elaborated by each expert as they are combined teams. 17 works were placed on an in-house short list. Then, an open review was taken place by 5 judges including external judges. After presentations and questions for the17 teams, each judge voted for 6 works. After discussion on the reasons for the vote, the second vote, which could be an unbalanced allocation with their respective 6 points, was taken. The first prize, "Floating Ring", got the highest marks with 2 points each from 4 out of 5 judges. In spite of different images from that of a general office renovation, this has an acute viewpoint indicating a direction for offices in the near future. In Kiba, a place already finishing its role of the time, there are a landscape with water and lots of empty warehouses around it. Thus this makes a proposal how offices should be in the future, by means of making the best use of elements left in Tokyo waterfront area and of converting them into offices. In huge empty warehouses, a large number of offices are allocated in loose and dispersive ways, like "a nested structure". Around them some common facilities such as design studios, workshops, exhibition halls and meeting places are planned as a catalyst to create new business. This proposal also insists that the communication, which results from increased opportunities to meet one another in those places, would stimulate and encourage a wide range of exchange among various businesses. This semi-outdoor space is connected to the vast waterfront by a wooden deck with a tent roof, and it creates a contact point with the natural environment essential to intellectual works. The expansive space enclosing the water surface, just like a water village, is quite interesting. This will be a spot to attract many people while making them recall how Kiba was in the past. "Office Urbanism" is a proposal of "an integrated urban block renovation" which attempts to revitalize the area, targeting the whole urban block filled with small-to-medium sized buildings of 4-5 stories. The crucial point is a gap between buildings. It will be hard to make use of the gap, with a focus on individual buildings. However, if the focus is on a block, they could be organically integrated and strategically spread out. In a stuffy office space, they would literally make an air hole in, make life come back and increase its value as an office. A connection of space beyond the framework of companies is considered as a mechanism, and it aims to make highly efficient use of space as a whole. A free address system, which is a part of the mechanism, will give the space flexibility. In addition, depending on the way of a connection, it is possible to expand those gaps, and the structural and environmental engineering advantages provided by the use of them are within their scopes. "Nikoichi – building renovations by a connection of two buildings" has a similar idea. By means of proactively expanding and making use of a space between two buildings, and of making a void to take the light and the air in, the environmental potential will be boosted, and installing a seismic dumper will improve its quake-resistance. This proposal also has a realistic plan that sharing the core of two buildings and effectively using the floor space would consequently increase the ratio of rentable area. It is intended that converting 70 percent of all buildings into housing would prompt the growth of population living in central Tokyo. If living population increases in central area, the area will certainly regain its prosperity. At the same time, it is expected that a combination of offices and residential buildings would contribute to power load levelling. "Ecofarm Housing" is a proposal to convert the office building into Yuichiro Kodama / Architect & doctor of engineering1946Born in Akita Prefecture1969Graduated Tokyo Institute of Technology (major in architecture)1976Awarded Ph.D from Tokyo Institute of Technology1978Held successive posts as Senior Researcher, Office Manager and Department Manager of Building Research Institute, Ministry of Construction1998Professor, Department of Environmental and Architectural Design, Kobe Design University President, Environmental Space Design and Technology (Estec Design Co., Ltd.)2000Received Environment and Energy Saving Home Award from Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation (IBEC)2003Received Environmental Architecture Award from The Japan Institute of Architects (JIA)2005Received Good Design Award from Architectural Institute of JapanSpecial Issue