The new town hall was created by the merger of Kubokawa town, Taisho town and Juwa village. It stands on a site divided into east and west across the Kubokawa station. A free passageway straddling the railroad tracks connects the West Town Hall, which houses the town hall functions, and the East Town Hall, which houses town support functions and the town assembly. The building is seismically isolated and has a hybrid structure consisting of wood, reinforced concrete and steel beams. All the wooden parts of the building, both interior and exterior, are made of Shimanto cypress from the town-owned forests, and the pillars are designed to withstand fire.

Japan | Kochi

Shinkenchiku May 2014 issue 96P