Jo Nagasaka / Schemata Architects has renovated an old factory into the Human Hub Tenneiji Soko in Fukushima, Japan.

This project involves the renovation of a 54-year-old, two-storey factory for Sekibikodo, a lacquerware company in Aizu.

As a result, the Human Hub Tenneiji Soko has been converted into a workshop, store, shared kitchen and cafe on the first floor – with a co-working space for local venture companies on the second floor.

"In order to update Aizu lacquerware, a traditional craft of the region in accordance with the changing times, we were involved from the planning stage as a design firm," said Schemata Architects.

"[We] came up with the idea of a self-made factory-type store and proposed a hub for cultural exchange with a workshop for making products utilising traditional crafts."

This project has been shortlisted in the workplace project category of Dezeen Awards 2024.

Studio: Jo Nagasaka / Schemata Architects
Project: Human Hub Tenneiji Soko
Credits: Daiki Yamaguchi, Makoto Kohno, Kizaki Ironwork Construction, Junji Tanigawa and JTQ Inc