Revitalization of Blue and Green　- Water Environment and Agriculture Connected by Sluice Gates -

Nagoya Institute of Technology Faculty of Engineering, Architecture & Design Department

Project idea

This design is a problem-solving proposal for the issues of polluted water environments and declining agriculture. By using a building with a sluice gate, a connection is created between polluted rivers and farmland. The sludge, which is the cause of pollution, is transformed into compost by this facility and utilized in farmlands nationwide. The most eye-catching feature of this building is the smoothly curved, organic roof shape. Behind the latticework ceiling made of wood, there is a filtration system. The water separated from the sludge passes through this filtration system, becoming completely purified. The water then flows along the columns, circulates through the building, and finally returns to nature. Inside the building, there are facilities such as a market, restaurant, and cafe that offer agricultural products harvested from the surrounding farmlands. There are also cooking rooms and experiential farms aimed at revitalizing agriculture.

Project description

This building, designed as an experiential multi-purpose exchange facility with the concept of revitalizing water quality and agriculture through sluice gates, serves two roles: a purification facility that acts as a hub for improving the water quality of the Yagagata Bay area, and an experiential exchange facility that promotes the quality of regional specialty agricultural products and increases interest in agriculture.

Technical information

The structure of this building is made of reinforced concrete, while the roof is made of steel. It consists of a basement floor and three above-ground floors, with separate buildings on either side of the river. The ceiling features a lattice pattern of cedar wood, forming an organic curve. Additionally, the northeast and southwest sides of the building are connected via a sluice gate. The turbid components (sludge) are heavy and accumulate at the bottom of the river, so the system is designed to collect the sludge flowing from the lower part of the river into the lower internal part of the sluice gate. After a certain period, the sluice gate moves upward, and the muddy water mixed with sludge is stored in the water storage tank inside the building. The relatively clean water from the upper part of the river is constantly drained through the sluice gate's regular drainage gate, so there is no concern about the river being blocked by the sluice gate.