Creating a station building where everyone can spend a comfortable time, working together with local residents from the planning stage

In this article, we will deliver a report on the social good renovation project of Nichinan Station on the JR Nichinan Line NOMURA GROUP worked with Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture. From the planning stage, we collaborated with local residents to design the space creation process so that the station building is not just a place to wait for trains, but a community space where everyone can spend time comfortably.

This article is a report article of the event "Social Good Week 2021" that introduces the "Social Good" projects of NOMURA GROUP.

* Click here for details on “Social Good”
NOMURA GROUP 's Social Good (Part 1 / Part 2)
* Click here for a list of report articles on “Social Good Week 2021”

JR Nichinan Station/Nichinan Station Community Space

Mr. Keita Uto, General Strategy Division, Nichinan City Hall, Miyazaki Prefecture
In 2005, entered Nichinan City Hall. After working in the Agricultural Administration Division, the Finance Division, and the Cabinet Office (dispatched as a trainee for administrative affairs), he has been in the Comprehensive Strategy Division since 2018. Engaged in regional policy work such as local public transportation, immigration, vacant house measures, and new energy.

Mari Matsumoto, Creative Division NOMURA Co., Ltd.
Since joining the company, he has been involved in the design of museums. Regardless of the genre of the space, he practices planning design, workshop design and facilitation of “creating a safe, secure and comfortable space to spend with children”.

Nichinan City, a tourist town full of history and nature

Matsumoto
Today, we received a consultation from Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture, and we would like to talk about the outline of the JR Nichinan Line/Nichinan Station community space project that NOMURA GROUP helped, and the process of creating mechanisms to obtain the cooperation of local residents. I will tell you. Mr. Uto from Nichinan City Hall is appearing online from the ground. Uto-san, please give us an overview of Nichinan City.

Uto
Hi, I'm Uto from Nichinan City Hall, Miyazaki Prefecture. Today we will participate online from the community space at nichinan station.

Nichinan City is located in the southern part of Miyazaki Prefecture, with an area of 536 square kilometers and a population of 50,000. The average annual temperature is 18.7 degrees Celsius, and Miyazaki may conjure up images of tropical islands.

Nichinan City is also famous as a camp site for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp and the Saitama Seibu Lions, and is bustling with fans during the camp. Sightseeing spots include Udo Jingu Shrine and Sun Messe Nichinan, which has the world's first official reproduction of Moai statues from the Easter Island Elders' Association. In 1977, Obi Castle Town was designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings for the first time in Kyushu.

The primary industry is thriving, and the amount of sweet pea production and the amount of pole-and-line bonito catches are the highest in Japan. Recently, sturgeon are farmed to produce caviar.
There is also a brand of cedar called "Obisugi". Due to its high oil content, Obisugi cedar was used as valve shell material for building ships in the Edo period.

*From the Nichinan City website​

 

Working on regional revitalization through public-private partnerships

Uto
Regarding the relationship between NOMURA GROUP and Nichinan City, in 2017, we concluded a "comprehensive cooperation agreement on regional revitalization", and as a creative partner to realize regional development, We work together to get the business done. In addition, from 2018 to 2020, we signed an agreement on the dispatch of specialists for research under the "Regional Revitalization Business Person Exchange Program", and dispatched employees from NOMURA GROUP. Currently, it has been canceled because it has become difficult to dispatch employees due to the effects of the corona wreck.

Based on these agreements, Nichinan City and NOMURA GROUP will hold an event called"DENKEN WEEK"that utilizes the cultural assets of the Obi district, as well as the use of the former Kogakura family samurai residence owned by the city. We are working on utilization projects and other projects to revitalize the region and reduce maintenance costs.

A collaboration event of cultural properties, art, food and music in the Obi district, which was selected as the first “Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings” (Denken) in Kyushu.

A 140-year-old samurai residence, the Former Oshikakura Residence, has been renovated into a hot spring inn by a private company.

Turning station buildings into community spaces

Uto
Before introducing the efforts of the JR Nichinan Line and Nichinan Station, I would like to explain a little about the JR Nichinan Line. The JR Nichinan Line runs from Miyazaki through Nichinan and connects Shibushi City in Kagoshima Prefecture. The number of services is one in one hour and one in two hours. In addition, since it is not electrified and diesel vehicles are slow, it is faster to reach the destination by car. However, many high school students use the trains in the mornings and evenings as a way to commute to school, so the city would like to promote the use of the JR Nichinan Line into the future.

Matsumoto
thank you. From now on, I will introduce the process prior to spatial design for the renovation of Nichinan Station.
Nichinan City gave us two tasks: ``I want to create a place where all citizens can spend time'' and ``renovation of the station building''. From there, we worked on the renovation of Nichinan Station with the theme of the station as a community space where everyone can spend time comfortably, rather than just waiting for a train. In order to consider the potential of a station building as a community space, it is necessary to listen to the needs of the local residents who use the station and incorporate them into the design. Therefore, from the planning stage, we created a mechanism for local residents to participate in this project. As a first step, we put up sticker questionnaire posters in the station building and explored the needs of users.

A poster that answers questions posted in the station building with a sticker. Communication needs such as relaxing and chatting were observed.

In addition, all three high schools in Nichinan City are located near the station, and it has become apparent that high school students are one of the main users of the station. Therefore, as the next step, we conducted a questionnaire survey of all students at a nearby high school. What we found here was that there were surprisingly many requests for shopping at the station building.
Then, a dozen or so high school students who responded to the questionnaire gathered to conduct fieldwork and workshops. The theme is "I wish I was at Nichinan Station". First of all, we asked them to tell us what they wanted in Nichinan Station, and then we held a workshop to think about what kind of station building we should have.

A workshop for high school students to think about what it would be like to be at Nichinan Station.

Next, we had a group discussion with mothers who use the child-rearing support center in Nichinan City. Regardless of whether or not they use the train, we were able to hear real voices such as "I want a place like a cafe where I can relax with my children" and "I want a space where babies can crawl".

Exchange opinions with mothers at the child-rearing support center in the city.

Furthermore, we had a discussion with the staff working at the station about what kind of functions the station building to be renovated should have and what future issues are. We also received the idea that tourists who stopped by the station would be happy if we could sell souvenirs.

Discussion with the staff working at the station.

Finally, we created an opportunity for local high school students, elementary and junior high school students, and their parents to gather and think about Nichinan Station across generations and grades. At that time, many people said that they wanted the station building to be a place where everyone could gather. And I think one of the big achievements was hearing from an elementary school student that he wanted to meet with Obi cedar.

From elementary and junior high school students to parents, everyone thought about how Nichinan Station should be.

In this way, we thought together with local residents, planned the space while grasping the needs, and proceeded with the design with the local PAAK DESIGN Co., Ltd.
The façade has a sign plan using Obi cedar, two tables where you can do your homework or read while waiting for a train, and a large counter where you can sell goods or have a cafe in the future. We also created a Japanese-style room with a small raised floor where mothers and children can relax together. Most of the furniture and fixtures are made with plenty of Obi cedar, creating a space surrounded by trees.

Furthermore, in response to a high school student's request to "make it a place where people can read books", we decided to place a lot of books. There is a publishing company called Rokuyosha, which is a group company of NOMURA Co., Ltd., which publishes books related to art and design, so I selected books from there and donated them. I hope that the station building will become a place where people can come into contact with art and design.

Nichinan Station before (top) and after (bottom) renovation. Photo below: Provided by Park Design Co., Ltd.

A comfortable space where people can gather and relax. An air conditioner is also installed in response to requests for measures against heat and insects. Photo courtesy of Park Design Co., Ltd.

Obi cedar is used abundantly for the furniture and fixtures.

A bookshelf with donated books related to art and design.

Visualize the process to create a space that can gain empathy

Matsumoto
The gist of this project was to "design activities" for space creation. By conducting questionnaires and thinking together with local residents, we were able to visualize the design process, and by cultivating consensus on spatial functions with Nichinan City and the users, we were able to create a space that would gain empathy.
Finally, I would like to hear from Mr. Uto, who is at Nichinan Station, how he plans to utilize this community space in the future.

Uto
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic when we opened, we were not able to gather many people, but we are thinking of renting this space to children's groups and seniors' groups to hold various events. I'm here. Also, I would like to work with people in the food and beverage industry in the city to create a place where local residents can easily gather, such as holding events where they can eat and drink only on Friday nights, or opening a cafe. In the future, I would like to work with local businesses while considering the actual operation and income and expenditure.

Matsumoto
For me, social good is, when I specialize in designing,
Space, craftsmanship, and craftsmanship are not just done by specialists,
I think that it is the intention and action to think, dialogue, and create together with users.

Finally, what does social good mean to you, Mr. Uto?

Uto
The social good that I think of is "connection between people".
He believes that regardless of the size of the project, the people who use the space, the people who live in the area, the government, the private sector, and many other people involved in the dialogue without discrimination will lead to efforts that will please many people. I am thinking.

​Click here for NOMURA Co., Ltd. 's achievements at Nichinan Station

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In the Nichinan Station Building project, with the cooperation and participation of the people of Nichinan City, we designed the process of creating a space, which led to the creation of a place that the local people really needed and that they can feel attached to. I am looking forward to seeing the further evolved station building as a bustling space when the corona disaster is over. (nomlog editorial department)

Text: Sho Iwasaki/Photo: Yui Yasuda (during the event)