As the "flow of people" from the cities to the countryside is beginning to emerge, the rich natural environment and history of the countryside are also coming into the spotlight.
'GREENable HIRUZEN,' a facility that will serve as a base for communicating the value of sustainability to a wider audience, opened on July 15, 2021, in Hiruzen Highland, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture.
This facility, designed and supervised by architect Kengo Kuma, is a relocated wooden building utilized in Harumi, Tokyo. The relocatable building, which could not be done with conventional concrete construction, is a symbol of the brand as decarbonized and sustainable, and a representation of the exchange of resources and culture between the city and the countryside.
The facility consists of a visitor center and a market selling goods that allow visitors to practice sustainability, the Hiruzen Museum in Maniwa City that promotes art and culture, a cycling center that offers hands-on programs, and the CLT pavilion 'Kaze no Ha.'