Gifu Civic Cultural Center with Traditional Crafts

Based on my initial analysis of the building and the site, some points that I think are interesting and important to the rejuvenation of the building, and wish to incorporate into my project are:

Kinkabashi street as a main road to connect Gifu Civic Cultural Center to other places in Gifu City
Places where visitors and tourists gather, such as Gifu JR Line and various hotels (yellow)
Urban parks located around GCCC (which is connected to Kogane Park itself)
Gifu Traditional crafts of paper umbrella, fans and lanterns

Zoomed out site analysis of the building and Gifu city

With the building being in close proximity to various places of congregation, I would think the building is in an optimal position to bring in more visitors and serve as a connection to help spread the traditional crafts of Gifu.

Keeping the building’ function as a cultural center, I decided to open it up, by replacing the walls with glass walls to provide physical and visual connection to the surroundings. I removed a volume from the left wing to create a terrace, and also added a volume to better connect the left wing to the other parts of the buildings.

Zoomed in before and after analysis

For the first floor, I reduced the size of the Cosmos Hall and added a café, which helps to bring visitors in and subsequently visit the other program spaces in the building. To the east, the additional volume can be used for small performances and exhibitions, and there are also chairs arranged in a curve for people to visit. Behind it would be some posters and items to advertise for the traditional crafts in the buildings that are not seen here.

Floorplan for first floor

The second floor would see the shift of the tea ceremony room and courtyard from the fourth floor down to the original air-condition room, which would be shifted away. To the east, the additional volume would be a viewing deck to look down to the first floor.

Floorplan for second floor

The third floor is where the traditional crafts programs start. To the west there would be a gallery about the raw materials of the crafts and alternative designs of the crafts, such as the egonoki tree project where volunteers find the materials for the stalk of the traditional Gifu umbrella. To the west, there would be the Gifu umbrella and lantern craftsmen workshops. These areas are open without doors, with shelves to divide the spaces. They serve to replicate the craftsmen’s work environment and atmosphere with the tools and materials, allowing visitors to get closer and understand how the crafts are made. Without the craftsmen working there, the place can serve as an exhibition of sorts for visitors to better appreciate the work done by the craftsmen. The additional volume can serve as an ad hoc place for craftsmen to hold talks, and at the same time be a connection between the wings of the building.

Floorplan for third floor

The fourth floor is a continuation of the third floor, with a library on traditional Gifu crafts as well as a fan craftsman workshop. The terraces to the east of the building would be connected to these workshops, serving as a place to dry painted crafts as well as for crafts to be exhibited here (Lanterns can light up at night and provide a view for surrounding buildings) The additional volume is a connector as well as a viewing deck to the third floor extension below.

Floorplan for fourth floor

The next few images show axon drawings of the various craftsmen workshops to have a better visualisation of these areas.

Third floor umbrella craft axon

Third floor lantern craft axon

Fourth floor fan craft axon

The short section shown is what represents this project. The section shows the program spaces in the building, both old and new, and that they are better connected. The visitors in the Cosmos Hall can look up to view the crafts gallery, and is also better connected to Kogane park with more entrances to the building.