Daifuku New Osaka Headquarters | 2021

Designers: Tatsuo Nishida and Akiko Tanaka, Chuo-Nittochi Co., Ltd., Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan and Nobuaki Miyashita, MR STUDIO Co., Ltd., Nakano, Tokyo, Japan
Client: Daifuku Co., Ltd, Nishiyodogawa, Osaka, Japan

This is a project of a material handling equipment company’s base renewal. Along with changing functions, visualizing the corporate identity and incorporating the whole design of the building were the underlying theme of the project. Tiered eaves represent the very moment where layers of history and accumulation of technology evolve toward the future. Steel pipes for scaffolding are used as roller conveyors motif here and there throughout the interior and exterior of the building to create rhythm and tie up the whole space.

The eaves are not just for the design element but also to reduce solar gain and cooling load in order to make the building eco-friendly. By placing reception room and conference room on the 1st floor and workspace on the 2nd floor, different security levels are assigned and the business is able to continue at the time of the river flood. The workspace is a pillarless space of 19.2 meters in depth, 3 meters high, which is intended to correspond flexibly to different functions as the times change. In the center of the floor we laid open staircase and break room surrounded by office space to promote communication among employees. Lightings of the break room and rest rooms are carefully arranged to differentiate from the office so that employees could spend a relaxing time. The main conference room on the 1st floor will serve as a space to accept stranded people in the event of disaster. Green space is created above the government’s requirements as part of fulfilling the corporate social responsibility.