Eishin Project by the Center for Environmental Structure
01/03/1985
Article
Authors:
Hansjoachim Neis
Published in:
Space Design, No. 246, pp. 69-80
Publisher:
Kajima Institute Publishing Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
Language:
Japanese
References
-
Eishin Campus - High School and College Complex
1982 to
1987
Nihongi 112-1, Iruma-shi, Saitama Prefecture, JapanEducational, Realized , The first largest part was completed in 1985, the second part in 1988, and one more building was added in 1995Client:Higashino High School - Hisae Hosoi, Managing DirectorC.E.S. staff:Christopher Alexander - Chief Architect, Hans-Joachim Neis - Executive Architect, Gary Black - Structural Engineer, Ingrid Fiksdahl-King - Architect, Artemis Anninou - ArchitectContractor:Fujita Corporation, Tokyo, JapanDesign and construction process:The work on the design of project performed by C.E.S. was divided in four phases. 1) Creation of a pattern language; 2) Layout on the site; 3) Design of the individual buildings; 4) Working drawings 1) The first step in the project was to create a pattern language for the school. This was achieved by spending a total of 1200 man-hours discussing the many requirements with the various teachers, professors and staff of the Eishin School. The results of these interviews and discussions were condensed into a coherent vision, which was written up in the form of patterns (a written documentation that describes a physical reality). A copy of the pattern language that was created had been included as part of the submission to the client. 2) The next step in the process was to lay out the various buildings and outdoor spaces on the site. The main goal in this step was to position the buildings so that they form positive outdoor spaces, and to use stakes to mark the corners so that all of the concerned parties can get an actual physical sense of how the site will feel when the buildings were built. When the site felt as though it was laid out just right, the position of each building was recorded. From this record an overall site plan was drawn. At the same time that this process was going on, a large-scale site model was under continuous development in the C.E.S. office in Japan, where the users could see it and discuss it, day by day, as the work proceeded. This played an important role in helping to establish a direct connection between the users, and the site plan of the finished campus. 3) The third step in the process was the design of the individual buildings. In the Eishin School project, 35 buildings in all were designed. During this phase, various types of construction were considered which could capture the vision of the project. Some of the buildings were designed as concrete block, some were plastered concrete, and others were constructed out of heavy timber. 4) In the fourth stage, preparation of working drawings and permission, C.E.S. did its own engineering and construction estimation. Many of the buildings have unique engineering behavior, which was developed on the C.E.S. computer programs by the C.E.S. engineering staff. C.E.S. also did extensive full-scale mock-ups of crucial materials and construction details during this stage, to guarantee that the final buildings would have the emotional reality with project staff was seeking.Project stages:Pattern language for the project by clients and C.E.S. Layout on the site by clients and C.E.S. Generic rules for urban growth process Use of full scale mock-ups Design Development and Construction Drawings done after layout Innovative construction mThe project was envisioned to be a new combined High School and College Complex for the Eishin Gakuen Foundation, in Saitama prefecture, outside Tokyo, and was designed as such. The campus was to be the working environment of a population ...
-
Eishin Campus - High School
1982 to
1995
Nihongi 112-1, Iruma-shi, Saitama Prefecture, JapanEducational, Realized , The first largest part was completed in 1985, the second part in 1988, and one more building was added in 1995Client:Higashino High School - Hisae Hosoi, Managing DirectorC.E.S. staff:Christopher Alexander, Hans-Joachim Neis, Gary Black, Ingrid Fiksdahl-King, Artemis Anninou, Astrid Chwoika, Neville Mathias, Eleni Coromvli, Ken Petermann, Robert M. Walsh, Randall Schmidt, Hajime Odagiri, Kohsuke Izumi, Hiroshi Nakano, Takeshi Ishikubo, Tamio ShioharaContractor:Fujita Corporation, Tokyo, JapanProject cost:$11,000,000 in 1985 $14,000,000 in 1988Design and construction process:The work on the design and construction of the project performed by C.E.S. was divided in five phases. 1) Creation of a pattern language; 2) Layout on the site; 3) Design of the individual buildings; 4) Working drawings; 5) Construction 1) The first step in the project was to create a pattern language for the school. This was achieved by spending a total of 1200 man-hours discussing the many requirements with the various teachers, professors and staff of the Eishin School. The results of these interviews and discussions were condensed into a coherent vision, which was written up in the form of patterns (a written documentation that describes a physical reality). A copy of the pattern language that was created had been included as part of the submission to the client. 2) The next step in the process was to lay out the various buildings and outdoor spaces on the site. The main goal in this step was to position the buildings so that they form positive outdoor spaces, and to use stakes to mark the corners so that all of the concerned parties can get an actual physical sense of how the site will feel when the buildings were built. When the site felt as though it was laid out just right, the position of each building was recorded. From this record an overall site plan was drawn. At the same time that this process was going on, a large-scale site model was under continuous development in the C.E.S. office in Japan, where the users could see it and discuss it, day by day, as the work proceeded. This played an important role in helping to establish a direct connection between the users, and the site plan of the finished campus. 3) The third step in the process was the design of the individual buildings. In the Eishin School project, 35 buildings in all were designed. During this phase, various types of construction were considered which could capture the vision of the project. Some of the buildings were designed as concrete block, some were plastered concrete, and others were constructed out of heavy timber. 4) In the fourth stage, preparation of working drawings and permission, C.E.S. did its own engineering and construction estimation. Many of the buildings have unique engineering behavior, which was developed on the C.E.S. computer programs by the C.E.S. engineering staff. C.E.S. also did extensive full-scale mock-ups of crucial materials and construction details during this stage, to guarantee that the final buildings would have the emotional reality with project staff was seeking. 5) In the construction phase of the project C.E.S. worked with Fujita Construction Company, the sixth largest construction company in Japan. During this phase, C.E.S. kept a full scale on-site office in place throughout the work, and had its own staff working closely with the details of the buildings, every single day. Many on-site changes, decisions and details of the buildings were made as the construction proceeded. Because of our method of cost accounting, these changes were made without increasing the cost of the finished project.Project stages:Pattern language for the project by clients and C.E.S. Layout on the site by clients and C.E.S. Generic rules for urban growth process Use of full scale mock-ups Design Development and Construction Drawings done after layout Construction management aThe High School is the part of the Eishin Campus that was constructed, with a total construction area of 12,000 square meters. It is a complex of thirty-five buildings, with pedestrian colonnaded streets, gates and gardens, and a lake with ...
-
Eishin Campus - High School: Central Hall
1982 to
1985
Nihongi 112-1, Iruma-shi, Saitama Prefecture, JapanEducational, Realized , Construction completed in 1985Client:Higashino High School - Hisae Hosoi, Managing DirectorC.E.S. staff:Christopher Alexander, Hans-Joachim Neis, Gary Black, Ingrid Fiksdahl-KingContractor:Fujita Corporation, Tokyo, JapanProject stages:Layout on the site by clients and C.E.S. Use of full scale mock-ups Design Development and Construction Drawings done after layout Construction management along with on-site design decisions Innovative construction methodsThe Central Hall is located at the end of the homebase street. Α student gathering area with four-foot-thick concrete base walls and arched openings, with built-in benches, which double as entrances to the building. Arches and seats form alcoves, and ...
-
Eishin Campus - High School: Great Hall - Auditorium
1982 to
1986
Nihongi 112-1, Iruma-shi, Saitama Prefecture, JapanEducational, Realized , Construction completed in May-1986Client:Higashino High School - Hisae Hosoi, Managing DirectorC.E.S. staff:Christopher Alexander, Hans-Joachim Neis, Gary Black, Ingrid Fiksdahl-KingContractor:Structural contractor: Fujita Corporation, Tokyo, Japan; Finish contractor: Center for Environmental Structure, JapanProject stages:Layout on the site by clients and C.E.S. Use of full scale mock-ups Design Development and Construction Drawings done after layout Construction management along with on-site design decisions Innovative construction methodsA large ceremonial building located at the main square and forming one edge of the lake. The main bridge that crosses the lake starts next to its massive podium. Its floor area is 14,000 square feet and has a three-story ...
-
Eishin Campus - High School: Gymnasium
1982 to
1985
Nihongi 112-1, Iruma-shi, Saitama Prefecture, JapanEducational, Realized , Construction completed in 1985Client:Higashino High School - Hisae Hosoi, Managing DirectorC.E.S. staff:Christopher Alexander, Hans-Joachim Neis, Gary Black, Ingrid Fiksdahl-King, Artemis AnninouContractor:Fujita Corporation, Tokyo, JapanProject stages:Layout on the site by clients and C.E.S. Use of full scale mock-ups Design Development and Construction Drawings done after layout Construction management along with on-site design decisions Innovative construction methodsThe Gymnasium is a large, 11,340 square feet, wooden building, surrounded by the water of the lake and accessed through a bridge. The walls covered with black plaster, and the dark red metal roof give its exterior identity, and wood ...
-
Eishin Campus - High School: Dining Hall
1982 to
1985
Nihongi 112-1, Iruma-shi, Saitama Prefecture, JapanEducational, Realized , Construction completed in 1985Client:Higashino High School - Hisae Hosoi, Managing DirectorC.E.S. staff:Christopher Alexander, Hans-Joachim Neis, Gary Black, Ingrid Fiksdahl-King, Artemis AnninouContractor:Fujita Corporation, Tokyo, JapanProject stages:Layout on the site by clients and C.E.S. Use of full scale mock-ups Design Development and Construction Drawings done after layout Construction management along with on-site design decisions Innovative construction methodsThe Dining Hall is located on a high point of the site overlooking the lake, with an extensive lawn in front of it, and the bridge crossing the lake leading into it. It is a wooden, long and narrow building ...
-
Eishin Campus - High School: Judo Hall
1982 to
1985
Nihongi 112-1, Iruma-shi, Saitama Prefecture, JapanEducational, Realized , Construction completed in 1985Client:Higashino High School - Hisae Hosoi, Managing DirectorC.E.S. staff:Christopher Alexander, Hans-Joachim Neis, Gary Black, Ingrid Fiksdahl-KingContractor:Fujita Corporation, Tokyo, JapanProject stages:Layout on the site by clients and C.E.S. Use of full scale mock-ups Design Development and Construction Drawings done after layout Construction management along with on-site design decisions Innovative construction methodsThe Judo Hall was initially part of the College Complex, located at the edge of the south ridge. It is a wooden building, with a floor area of 3,000 square feet, 80 feet long, 30 feet high, used for judo ...
-
Eishin Campus - High School: Single Homebase Buildings
1982 to
1985
Nihongi 112-1, Iruma-shi, Saitama Prefecture, JapanEducational, Realized , Construction completed in 1985Client:Higashino High School - Hisae Hosoi, Managing DirectorC.E.S. staff:Christopher Alexander, Hans-Joachim Neis, Gary Black, Ingrid Fiksdahl-KingContractor:Fujita Corporation, Tokyo, JapanProject stages:Layout on the site by clients and C.E.S. Use of full scale mock-ups Design Development and Construction Drawings done after layout Construction management along with on-site design decisionsThe Homebase Buildings form the homebase street. They are two-story masonry buildings with pitched tiled roofs and concrete ornamental wall friezes. Each one has its own garden, with a stair leading to the second floor classrom. There are five such ...
-
Eishin Campus - High School: Double Homebase Buildings
1982 to
1985
Nihongi 112-1, Iruma-shi, Saitama Prefecture, JapanEducational, Realized , Construction completed in 1985Client:Higashino High School - Hisae Hosoi, Managing DirectorC.E.S. staff:Christopher Alexander, Hans-Joachim Neis, Gary Black, Ingrid Fiksdahl-KingContractor:Fujita Corporation, Tokyo, JapanProject stages:Layout on the site by clients and C.E.S. Use of full scale mock-ups Design Development and Construction Drawings done after layout Construction management along with on-site design decisionsThe Homebase Buildings form the homebase street. They are two-story masonry buildings with pitched tiled roofs and concrete ornamental wall friezes. Each one has its own garden, with a stair leading to the second floor classrom. There are two double ...
-
Eishin Campus - College Complex: Main Library and Research Center
1982 to
1984
Nihongi 112-1, Iruma-shi, Saitama Prefecture, JapanEducational, Designed , Not builtClient:Higashino High School - Hisae Hosoi, Managing DirectorC.E.S. staff:Christopher Alexander, Hansjoachim Neis, Gary Black, Ingrid Fiksdahl-KingProject stages:Preliminary DesignThe Main Library and Research Center form a U-shaped building with a large courtyard, opening into the elongated outdoor space of the College Complex. It was designed to occupy the west end of the College Complex, opposite the Judo Hall; ...
SEE ALL Projects