Photography: Shiyo Kawai

JA Mori Branch building, located along the main artery of local traffic, houses a regional branch of JA which is composed of a banking services space on the ground floor and meeting rooms on the second floor.
The simple single-sheet eaves seamlessly connect inside and outside of the building to reflect the intention of the whole site to serve as a new place for regional interactions. The eaves are constructed of corrugated roofing materials with H-steel beams. Such building structure is left exposed on the facade.
Plazas and benches are set up in the exterior of the building to be used by citizens as a meeting point for commuting to and from the school next door or for hosting local festivals.
The bank counter is located in a space with a high ceiling which slopes up toward the far end of the building to create an open and bright atmosphere with a feel of rich nature. The shading created by the eaves and the underfloor air distribution system in the occupied zone enable the environment control of a large space without excessive air conditioning load.
The ceiling height required for each room is connected with the inclined eaves in a straight line to minimize the exterior wall area while affordably realizing an interior space with a plenty of air volume.