Cultural Hall,
Sanyo Onoda Civic Centre

Sanyo Onoda Civic Center - renovated and reopened

The Sanyo Onoda Civic Center, a long-standing hub for the cultural exchange for the citizens of Sanyo Onoda, consists of two buildings: the Cultural Hall and the Sports Hall. In April 2020, the Cultural Hall underwent renovation work including earthquake-resistant reinforcements, new ceilings and floors, and replacement of the seating area's seats. The hall, which had been used for nearly half a century since its construction, had its seats and seating arrangement updated to match the Reiwa era (1 May 2019~). It is a civic center built as a hub for encouraging citizen interaction, a place that exudes the essence of Sanyo Onoda.

Creating seating that meets modern needs

The design of the hall's seats, including the width of each seat and the height of the seat surface, was a bit of a tight fit for the physique of modern people. To address this, we enlarged the new seats, increasing the width by 4 cm and the seat height by 6 cm per seat. We set the backrest height to match the standard size of modern theater seats. Moreover, we also replaced the previously flat backrest cushion with a three-dimensional contour following ergonomic principles. We equipped the seat with a three-layer cushion with corrugated springs to reduce fatigue during long periods, totally transcending to another level of comfort.
To improve access to each seat, we added a lateral aisle (not present in the original layout) to the central part of the seating area. Additionally, to make the space in front of the seats more accessible, we used 'Spacia' seats in the hall. 'Spacia' is the nickname for a barrier-free design of the seat, with a tapered end. In Spacia, the tip of the seat touching the back of your knees is thinner, so you can easily pull in your legs under the seat due to the ample legroom available. You can simply pull your legs under the seat to enable other people to pass through in front of your seat without any need to stand up. This user-friendly design, which allows for smooth standing and sitting for the elderly as well, was well-liked by the city administration and was incorporated into the renovation plans.
We also put in efforts to achieve barrier-free access throughout the seating area, including the addition of new wheelchair seats and transforming the front row into mobile seats prioritizing individuals with disabilities. Although these changes have reduced the number of seats from 532 to 445, the overall result is an evolved space where everyone can enjoy comfortably.

Special textile depicting the 'city with beautiful sunsets'

The orange-colored seating, resembling the setting sun, uses a special upholstery fabric produced for Sanyo Onoda City. The textile designers from FABRIKO Co., Ltd. designed the fabric as per the city's request to fully highlight the 'city's beautiful sunsets', which have been voted as one of Japan's 100 most beautiful sunsets.
The designers used the orange hue from the city's logo (established in 2018) in the weft (horizontal weave) to express the gradation reminding you of the setting sun. The textured and expressive fabric, with its play of light and shadows, changes color depending on the viewing angle, creating a warm and inviting ambience as if the setting sun is shining into the hall.

Facility Overview

The former Sanyo Onoda Civic Center consisted of two buildings: the Sports Hall, completed in 1970, and the Cultural Hall, completed in 1973. A survey conducted in 2016 underlined the necessity of earthquake-resistant reinforcements to the facility. Since it is an important base for disaster prevention during emergencies, the city administration proceeded with the renovation work. The hall successfully reopened in April 2020 after renovations were carried out to improve convenience, make it barrier-free, and extend the facility's lifespan, with the highest priority on ensuring the building's safety.