Main Hall,
Oji Town Culture and Welfare Center (Minami Community Center)

Jul. 02,2024

Theater / Hall

Project Description

The Main Hall has also undergone renovations with newly refurbished audience seating

The renovations to the Main Hall of the Oji Town Culture and Welfare Center (Minami Community Center) in Nara Prefecture were completed and it was then reopened in September 2022. It has been more than 40 years since the center was built in 1982. The facilities and equipment had deteriorated. The seats and air conditioning equipment were updated, the carpet was replaced, the lighting equipment was converted to LEDs and the Health Bright antibacterial and antiviral coating was applied. Improvements are also scheduled to be made to the acoustics equipment. The center has been developed to be suitable as a base for lifelong learning where people can enjoy fulfilling lives.

Evolution into comfortable audience seating which fits the physiques of modern people

The TS-71 series Cadenza was chosen for the audience seating in the Main Hall. This series has a long track record among Kotobuki Seating’s lineup of theater and hall seats. The seats and backrests are higher than with the seats before the renovations. The width per person was expanded from 480 mm to 530 mm. The audience seating capacity decreased from 668 to 586 due to the increase in size of each seat. Nevertheless, these seats have evolved to offer a more comfortable seating experience which fits the physiques of modern people. The spacious audience seating allows users to enjoy a variety of events including theater performances, music shows and lectures.

It is possible to sit in these seats comfortably even for long periods of time thanks to their back and seat. The backrest cushion is curved three-dimensionally to fit the backs of users. This supports the body of each individual as if gently embracing it. Narrow-tipped Spacia were adopted as the seats. You can easily pull your legs under the seat with Spacia. That is in addition to the seats providing a sense of freedom thanks to the ample space at your feet when you are sitting in them. Therefore, it is easy to stand up and sit down. This facilitates accessibility for the elderly and disabled. The seats are in-built with high-density molded urethane that retains its shape and corrugated springs. Accordingly, it is possible to enjoy a comfortable seating experience without hitting the bottom of the seats. The cushions are wrapped in upholstery in the purple that serves as the color of Oji Town. The backrest, armrests and other wooden parts are painted a calming brown.

Health Bright has been applied to the seats. This has antibacterial, antiviral, VOC decomposition, deodorizing, antifungal and antifouling effects. It works 24 hours a day with the power of air. Therefore, it hygienically maintains the audience seating to be used by many people.

Facility Overview

Oji Town in Nara Prefecture is a historic town with many legends related to Prince Shotoku. For example, you will find the ruins of Saian-ji Temple said to have been founded by Prince Shotoku here. Serving as the base of lifelong learning for the townspeople, the Oji Town Culture and Welfare Center (Minami Community Center), which is over 40 years old, consists of the Main Hall, meeting rooms, exhibition hall, Japanese-style rooms, kitchen and workshops. It underwent a major update with renovations to its facilities in FY2021. The roof waterproofing and exterior wall construction was carried out in FY2022. The acoustic equipment in the Main Hall is also scheduled to be updated from FY2023 onward.