I-TOWN

"I-TOWN" is an architectural project conceived not just as company dormitory, but as a neighborhood designed to coexist with the surrounding community.

As part of an urban development initiative to revitalize the area around Kurobe City’s “Ikuji” Station, the buildings are arranged in separate blocks to blend in with the surrounding low-rise residential neighborhood.

Its most distinctive feature is that the extensive gardens and large roofed arcades connecting the buildings are open to local residents as thoroughfares and places to relax. By avoiding enclosing the site and instead making it a part of the flow of wind and people throughout the neighborhood, it creates a lively atmosphere where dormitory residents and local people naturally interact. Presenting a new form of "work-life proximity," it has made a contribution to revitalizing the entire area.
Furthermore, consisting of wooden housing with a decarbonized society in mind, the project embodies the future of architecture that integrates into local communities. To this end, it addresses the challenges facing the environment and regional cities through initiatives such as district heating powered by locally sourced wood-chip biomass, energy generation via solar power, and integration with public transport systems.