I visited Takenaka Corporation's "Takenaka Research & Development Institute Open House 2013." From Takebashi Station, about 60 minutes via Nihombashi transfer—the vast institute in Inzai, Chiba. Over 300 researchers and staff—the brain of Takenaka Corp. and Takenaka Civil Engineering.
Opened 1993, the building itself is geometric "architecture as landscape" responding to a heavenly gaze＝main photo. Embedded in an artificial hill with soil, water, and green landscape processing across the site.
This year's theme: "Creating a future kind to people and Earth." Seventy-six booths on safety, security, and environment—many corners interesting even to laypeople.
The "Energy Systems for Tomorrow and Beyond" booth included "Zero Energy Building"—moving beyond saving to creating energy. "Personal air conditioning" puts small outlets in desk partitions, sensing occupant body heat for comfort while raising overall temperature to save energy—though cost-conscious generations may wonder about economics.
Wall greening shifted from ivy to flowering and autumn-color shrubs in the "tree-compatible vertical greening system"＝photo upper right—nice, though pruning is demanding.
Circadian lighting: white by day＝photo upper left, auto orange toward evening＝photo lower left—boosts efficiency but may recall izakaya signs.
Earthquake/tsunami simulation and "Protecting from Mega-Quakes," "Supporting Buildings with Solid Foundations," and "Fire-Resistant Wood" booths—25 exhibits total; BIM (Building Information Modeling) 3D digital models used across all phases stood out.
We also entered visiMax dome-screen virtual building walkthroughs and tried head-mounted displays.