It was built in close proximity to the Odaka Exchange Center in Odaka Ward, Minamisoma City, which was affected by the nuclear power plant disaster of the Great East Japan Earthquake, and whose evacuation order area was lifted in July 2016, except for areas where it is difficult to return home. It is operated by Pionism, an IT venture company that started up locally after the disaster. Its functions include a coworking space, a workshop, and a simple lodging house, and it will encourage residents to return to their homes and provide a place for them to engage in activities toward recovery. The construction costs were funded by a crowdfunding campaign of 5 million yen, in addition to a reconstruction grant from the Nippon Foundation and independent financial resources.

Japan | Fukushima

Shinkenchiku March 2019 issue 58P