Civic Hall,
MINATO TERRACE (SAKAIMINATO CIVIC CENTER)

Sakaiminato residents’ long-awaited culture complex with a hall is now open

Civic hall in Sakaiminato City was unavailable after 2013 due to deterioration and lack of seismic strength, but in July 2022, some 10 years later, a long-awaited civic complex named Minato Terrace (Sakaiminato Civic Center) was opened with 3 different functions: civic exchange center, library, and disaster prevention. As a new exchange hub for the city, it has been busy with many activities.
The old civic hall had approximately 1,300 seats, but considering the current size of the city and the events planned for the future, the new hall was streamlined to 808 seats, including a wheelchair space and parent-child viewing seats. Old chairs were reborn as comfortable seating that suits modern people’s physiques and also evolved into a movable type that offers real value as a disaster prevention measure.

Introducing retractable seating that can be deployed and stowed in a few minutes

The seating in the civic hall consists of 3 different types. The largest number is the 552 retractable seats of 16 rows lined in a staircase style. This type of seat occupies about 70% of the seating, but they are movable seats that can be easily stowed away taking only a couple of minutes. Assuming that the hall in a flat floor space configuration could be used as a shelter in the event of a disaster, the fully automatic type was chosen because anyone can easily operate it. The 552 seats can be stowed into the wall at the rear of the hall, and the folded seats are redeployed by pressing the deployment button.
In front of the retractable seating, fold-down seating is lined up in 4 rows from the front end of the hall. When unlocking the castors on the legs and folding the backrest down, the seats can be moved and stowed under the stage. Not only does this help to create a flat space as part of disaster response, but it also contributes to flexible seating arrangements for a variety of events.
Second-floor seating that is connected from the last row of the retractable seating consists of 4 rows of fixed seating. Even when all the retractable seating and removable seating on the first floor are stowed away at an event, visitors can still watch it from the fixed seating.
The design of all seating was unified with Type LW in the retractable seating system range. The combination of navy-colored upholstery and natural wooden color parts that match the architectural walls symbolizes the nature-rich Sakaiminato City facing the sea. The thick cushions support the seated person’s body firmly and provide a comfortable seating experience even after long hours of viewing. 

Creating a hall that is friendly to wheelchair users, carers, and families with young children

By leaving out the front 2 rows on both sides of the retractable seating, a total of 6 wheelchair spaces (3 seats on each side) are provided in a position where the audience can easily see the stage. For wheelchair helpers, TS-1212 stackable seating, developed for theaters and halls, was also introduced. This chair was designed based on the concept of ‘movable theater chairs’ and offers specifications and quality comparable to those of retractable seating, removable seating, and fixed seating, for example, voluminous cushions and natural wood armrests that feel nice to the touch.
For the parent-child viewing seating located at the rear of the hall, TS-0105 was selected. This sofa-type seating makes it easy for parents and children to stay close together when watching a show. Because this type of seating can be moved around, it also supports a social distancing policy when needed.

Facility Overview

Minato Terrace (Sakaiminato Civic Center) was opened in July 2022 on the site of the former Sakaiminato Civic Hall. The concept of the facility is a “hub for cultural exchange and disaster prevention.” The drop curtains in the hall were designed to be familiar to the public with a motif based on characters created by a manga artist, Shigeru Mizuki, who was born in Sakaiminato City. Retractable seating and a retractable stage (FS-800) were installed in the civic hall and the large conference room respectively, which can be converted into flat floor spaces and used as a shelter in the event of a disaster.

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