Revitalizing Tokushima Shimbun’s Former Printing Center: The Okinosu Indoor Park
In 2020, the Tokushima Shimbun Company’s newspaper printing center, located in Tokushima City, was repurposed by Tokushima Prefecture following the relocation of its operations. Despite its age, the printing center, now under prefectural jurisdiction, was earmarked to serve as a vital “Transportation hub for disaster relief supplies” during times of crisis. To realize this vision, a comprehensive design competition was organized, seeking proposals for the center’s regular utilization, renovation plans, and sustainable business strategies.
Designing for Resilience
The design ethos behind the Okinosu Indoor Park, situated within the Eastern Tokushima Prevention Center, embodies reversibility, bridging the gap between normal operations and disaster response. Since its unveiling in September 2023, the park has become a bustling hub, particularly popular among families. Preserving traces of its historical significance as a newspaper printing center, the facility boasts a reversible design, catering to both routine and emergency scenarios.
Adaptive Reuse and Integration
Formerly a shipping center for newspaper distribution, the space has been transformed into a vibrant cafe. The kitchen, once a managerial area, underwent adaptive reuse. A novel polycarbonate sliding door now replaces the previous shutter, allowing for seamless integration with truck access during emergencies and serving as a cafe-table partition during routine times. The design seamlessly blends indoor and outdoor spaces, fostering versatility and usability.
Embracing Serendipity
The reversible design elements, including movable shipping pallets and a daily-use seawall beneath the counter, add an element of serendipity for users. The facility’s potential as a temporary evacuation center and a vital transportation hub for disaster relief supplies remains a focal point, ensuring preparedness for unforeseen events.
Identity and Signage
Mr. Kishino of 6D was commissioned for visual identity and signage design. Retaining elements of the newspaper printing center’s legacy, the signage plan incorporates scaffolding pipes and tarpaulins, reflecting the site’s rugged industrial past while maintaining a contemporary aesthetic.
The Okinosu Indoor Park stands as a beacon of adaptive reuse and community resilience, transforming a former printing center into a vibrant hub capable of serving the community in both routine and emergency situations.
