Multipurpose Hall,
Laporte Gosen

The Laporte Gosen complex in Gosen City, Niigata Prefecture

Gosen City is located in the center of Niigata Prefecture. Surrounded by nature and blessed with natural spring water, Gosen City is known for its textiles industry.
In October 2021, the city welcomed a new exchange complex of interconnected facilities called Laporte Gosen.
Gosen City boasts an uncommon combination of a theater and facilities to promote local industries. It consists of a lifelong learning area including a multipurpose hall, a local industry promotion area with a store selling local products and a cafeteria, and a common area including a playground for children.
Upon entering, visitors are met by a bright and open galleria. Part of the interior uses locally grown cedar that provides the space with a relaxing warmth and modern feel.
Fabrics and tapestries hung up around the galleria also add a flair of color. Made of Gosen Knit, one of the city's great products, these decorations are entirely unique to Laporte Gosen.
Laporte Gosen has a store selling local products, including Gosen Knit and silks, along with a cafeteria.
Incorporating locally sourced lumber for building materials and knitted and woven fabrics for furniture and signs, Laporte Gosen's design received the Good Design Award 2021.

Gosen Knit upholstery—a collaborative effort

A multipurpose hall was created for Laporte Gosen to be a place for art and learning. Both fixed seats and stacking chairs from Kotobuki Seating's lineup were chosen for the 500-seat hall.
Against the calm wood-tone feel of the hall, the retractable seats offer a vivid contrast. The blue upholstery, reminiscent of Gosen's spring water, is made of Gosen Knit fabric. The upholstery has a three-dimensional knitted original flower and snow pattern that, depending on the viewer, looks like snow or cherry blossoms. In order to meet the durability requirements for theater seats, the custom-made upholstery fabric was created by Fabriko Co., Ltd., a Kotobuki Seating affiliate, over multiple trials in collaboration with a local knitting factory in Gosen.
The seats are made of brightly colored leather that complements the floral snow pattern. The design and color of the seats embody the culture of Gosen.
Our Axis chairs were chosen for the stacking chairs that line the first floor near the stage. Featuring large, thick back and seat cushions, these chairs offer comfort even after long periods of sitting. The chairs use the same colored leather on the upholstery as that of the retractable and fixed seats. The gentle color, reminiscent of snow fits perfectly with the atmosphere of the hall.
In addition to the upholstery, much thought was put into the arrangement of the seats as well. The hall uses a staggered layout with each row offset from the next. This design avoids overlapping, allowing the stage to be easily seen from any seat.

A flexible space for the people

When not in use, the retractable seats can be stored in the wall at the rear of the hall. And the stacking chairs at the front can be put away to create a large, flat open space.
In addition, some of the walls are movable, making it possible to use the space as a part of the courtyard. When the seats are retracted, the hall has been used for a myriad of events and activities, including exhibitions.
The seats have helped achieve a flexible space that can be used as not only a theater but as a hall for various events too.

Laporte Gosen is a complex made of and for the hopes and dreams of the city's residents. Laporte Gosen is constantly bustling, with over 100,000 people visiting within the first 51 days of opening.
With the smiles of the visitors, it is hoped that the potential of what is possible at Laporte Gosen will continue to grow.

Facility Overview

Laporte Gosen is an exchange complex in Gosen City comprised of a building with a floor space of 3,700 m2 and three plazas on a site of approximately 24,000 m2. "Porte" means "door" or "gate" in French and Italian, and was named with the hope that it will be somewhere where new doors for the development of Gosen City open.
Laporte Gosen has a store selling local products, including Gosen Knit and silks, along with a cafeteria. The children's playground, with its wooden architecture and unique playground equipment, including nets, wooden slides, and bouldering walls, is one of the most popular parts of the complex. Attracting crowds, Laporte Gosen is a place for the community to get together that can be enjoyed by both kids and adults alike.
Laporte Gosen won the Good Design Award 2021, held by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion and the Kids Design Award 2021, held by the Kids Design Association. Laporte Gosen also received the Excellence Award in the 2021 Timber Utilization Excellent Facility Contest organized by the Japan Council for Advancement of Timber Utilization.

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