Case Studies SUEP. Enlists Energy-Efficient Ideas and Disaster Prevention to Revive Japan’s Kyushu Region

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	SUEP. Enlists Energy-Efficient Ideas and Disaster Prevention to Revive Japan’s Kyushu Region

SUEP. Enlists Energy-Efficient Ideas and Disaster Prevention to Revive Japan’s Kyushu Region

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems
Applicable Industries	Cities & Municipalities Construction & Infrastructure
Applicable Functions	Facility Management Quality Assurance
Use Cases	Building Automation & Control Building Energy Management Predictive Maintenance
Services	Software Design & Engineering Services System Integration
Challenge	The Ureshino-City project in Japan's Kyushu Region faced significant challenges due to its location in a flood-prone, low-lying delta between the Shiota and Urata Rivers. The area experiences flooding approximately every decade, particularly when heavy rain coincides with high tide. The geography became even more critical after the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, which caused devastating floods and loss of life. This tragedy heightened the awareness of disaster prevention for the SUEP. team. The challenge was to design a cultural center and junior high school that could withstand potential flooding while also addressing the area's declining population. The project needed to incorporate disaster prevention measures and energy-efficient solutions to create a safe and sustainable environment for the community. Read More
About Customer	SUEP. is an architectural firm founded in 2004 by Yoko Suemitsu, with her husband Hirokazu Suemitsu joining as co-chair in 2007. The firm is dedicated to realizing organic architectural designs that integrate structure and ecology through design and engineering. Both Yoko and Hirokazu have a deep-rooted passion for architecture, inspired by their fathers who were involved in the glass and sliding screen paper industries, respectively. The couple draws inspiration from renowned architects like Toyo Ito and Frank Lloyd Wright, aiming to create a perfect fusion of nature and architecture. SUEP. has earned numerous awards for its innovative designs, including several Fukuoka Prefecture Architectural Awards and a Tokyo Residential Architecture Award. The firm is known for its focus on disaster prevention and energy efficiency, particularly in projects like the Ureshino-City Cultural Center and Shiota Junior High School in Japan's Kyushu Region. Read More
Solution	To address the challenges of the Ureshino-City project, SUEP. incorporated disaster prevention and energy-saving ideas into their design. They used SimTread, a plug-in for Vectorworks Architect software, to model pedestrian evacuation flows, ensuring safe evacuation routes in case of flooding. The buildings were designed with raised floors and ample green space to absorb flood damage. The cultural center and junior high school were strategically placed on neighboring sites, with a shopping center and proposed plaza in between. The cultural center features a 1,000-person arena, a 500-person cultural hall, and several multipurpose rooms, while the junior high school includes 12 regular classrooms, 10 special purpose classrooms, a library, gymnasium, and martial arts gym. Energy-efficient features include a steel structural frame, concrete walls, and a natural air-conditioning system. The school's roofline forms a tree-like canopy to maximize shade and reduce the need for air conditioning. SUEP. also drew inspiration from traditional architectural designs in the area, transforming them into modern, organic structures that fit seamlessly into the landscape. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics

Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems

Applicable Industries

Cities & Municipalities

Construction & Infrastructure

Applicable Functions

Facility Management

Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Building Automation & Control

Building Energy Management

Predictive Maintenance

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services

System Integration

Challenge

The Ureshino-City project in Japan's Kyushu Region faced significant challenges due to its location in a flood-prone, low-lying delta between the Shiota and Urata Rivers. The area experiences flooding approximately every decade, particularly when heavy rain coincides with high tide. The geography became even more critical after the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, which caused devastating floods and loss of life. This tragedy heightened the awareness of disaster prevention for the SUEP. team. The challenge was to design a cultural center and junior high school that could withstand potential flooding while also addressing the area's declining population. The project needed to incorporate disaster prevention measures and energy-efficient solutions to create a safe and sustainable environment for the community.

About Customer

SUEP. is an architectural firm founded in 2004 by Yoko Suemitsu, with her husband Hirokazu Suemitsu joining as co-chair in 2007. The firm is dedicated to realizing organic architectural designs that integrate structure and ecology through design and engineering. Both Yoko and Hirokazu have a deep-rooted passion for architecture, inspired by their fathers who were involved in the glass and sliding screen paper industries, respectively. The couple draws inspiration from renowned architects like Toyo Ito and Frank Lloyd Wright, aiming to create a perfect fusion of nature and architecture. SUEP. has earned numerous awards for its innovative designs, including several Fukuoka Prefecture Architectural Awards and a Tokyo Residential Architecture Award. The firm is known for its focus on disaster prevention and energy efficiency, particularly in projects like the Ureshino-City Cultural Center and Shiota Junior High School in Japan's Kyushu Region.

Solution

To address the challenges of the Ureshino-City project, SUEP. incorporated disaster prevention and energy-saving ideas into their design. They used SimTread, a plug-in for Vectorworks Architect software, to model pedestrian evacuation flows, ensuring safe evacuation routes in case of flooding. The buildings were designed with raised floors and ample green space to absorb flood damage. The cultural center and junior high school were strategically placed on neighboring sites, with a shopping center and proposed plaza in between. The cultural center features a 1,000-person arena, a 500-person cultural hall, and several multipurpose rooms, while the junior high school includes 12 regular classrooms, 10 special purpose classrooms, a library, gymnasium, and martial arts gym. Energy-efficient features include a steel structural frame, concrete walls, and a natural air-conditioning system. The school's roofline forms a tree-like canopy to maximize shade and reduce the need for air conditioning. SUEP. also drew inspiration from traditional architectural designs in the area, transforming them into modern, organic structures that fit seamlessly into the landscape.

Impact #1	SUEP. successfully integrated disaster prevention measures into the Ureshino-City project, ensuring the safety of the buildings and their occupants in a flood-prone area.
Impact #2	The design of the cultural center and junior high school encourages community engagement and aims to boost the area's declining population.
Impact #3	Energy-efficient features, such as the natural air-conditioning system and tree-like canopy roofline, reduce the buildings' environmental impact.

Impact #1

SUEP. successfully integrated disaster prevention measures into the Ureshino-City project, ensuring the safety of the buildings and their occupants in a flood-prone area.

Impact #2

The design of the cultural center and junior high school encourages community engagement and aims to boost the area's declining population.

Impact #3

Energy-efficient features, such as the natural air-conditioning system and tree-like canopy roofline, reduce the buildings' environmental impact.

Benefit #1	The cultural center can accommodate up to 1,000 people in its arena and 500 people in its cultural hall.
Benefit #2	The junior high school includes 12 regular classrooms and 10 special purpose classrooms.
Benefit #3	The total area of the cultural center is 4,771 square meters, while the junior high school covers 7,618 square meters.

Benefit #1

The cultural center can accommodate up to 1,000 people in its arena and 500 people in its cultural hall.

Benefit #2

The junior high school includes 12 regular classrooms and 10 special purpose classrooms.

Benefit #3

The total area of the cultural center is 4,771 square meters, while the junior high school covers 7,618 square meters.

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Overview

SUEP. Enlists Energy-Efficient Ideas and Disaster Prevention to Revive Japan’s Kyushu Region

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit