From renewal to Renovation

As an in-house design firm of a developer for a long time, we have a long history in this field, and in June 1995, we established the Renewal Architecture Department as a specialized division. However, society's demands have shifted from renewal, which simply replaces aged and deteriorated components with new ones, to Renovation that involves the creation of new value. In response, in April 2014, the department changed its name to Renovation Design Department, and has been actively working on projects.

As an example of Renovation, we would like to introduce the "Katsuki Project," a conversion project we undertook in Hiroshima. The project involved converting an office building originally constructed in 1989 (Heisei 1) into a comprehensive medical facility, housing a nursery school and pediatrics, internal medicine, and dermatology, with a focus on obstetrics and gynecology. By effectively utilizing existing urban infrastructure, we selected a conversion method that was environmentally friendly, minimized the project schedule, and ensured economic rationality. We demolished and removed portions of facade to reduce the building's weight, and seismic reinforcement ensured the building's structural integrity. We then created a new facade design with a diverse and vibrant look befitting a place dedicated to celebrating the birth and growth of a child. Inside, we implemented planning and interior design that emphasized individual hospitality, from tenant offices for large numbers of users to consultations, treatment, and hospitalization. Furthermore, we created a new rooftop garden, made possible by the building's lightweight construction and seismic reinforcement. Rather than simply rebuilding it into something new, the comfort of its users and the value of the building were greatly improved, giving it a new lease of life.

Another example of Renovation is the Renovation Building, currently under design. It is a 31-meter-tall office building located in Tokyo's Otemachi district, on a site stretching 200 meters in length—a rare sight even in the city center. Originally built in 1958, the building has undergone several rounds of seismic reinforcement work since 1998. Sixty years later, the building has adopted the goal of building a 100-year lifespan. Given the unique shape of its long, shallow site, the decision was made to embark on a major Renovation rather than a rebuild. Over the course of the long-term renovation plan, from the initial seismic reinforcement work to the present, the laws and regulations surrounding the building have also changed. The project will explore the most appropriate renovations possible within the context of the passage of time and current regulations. Furthermore, because the construction will proceed while tenants are still in use, careful consideration and coordination of the construction environment, conditions, construction schedule, and impact on the surrounding area are essential. In other words, Renovation is nothing more than planning and designing, while also managing everything in an exquisite balance, including selecting and discarding added value that can be enjoyed within many constraints, long-term planning, construction, and building management.

As such, Renovation require the same level of creativity and long-term overall planning as new construction. In order to realize a society that truly utilizes architectural resources as a stock, regulatory reform and legal developments that support this will be necessary.