Yo Shimada Lab, Environmental Design, KCUA

Facade Design for Mitsubishi Motors Kyoto Plant

An Industry-Academia Collaboration

Client

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation

Site

New Technology Building and Main Building, Kyoto Plant, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto

Supervisors

Yo Shimada, Wataru Doi, Kenta Hori

Commissioned by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, students of the Integrated Design Department designed facades for the New Technology Building and the Main Building of the company’s Kyoto Plant (Ukyo-ku, Kyoto) in this industry-academia collaboration.

The Kyoto Plant has produced engines since it opened in 1944, serving as Mitsubishi Motors’ powertrain production base, and occupies a vast site in the city of Kyoto against the backdrop of Arashiyama. For the renewal of its facades, three themes were set: “Advance,” “Traditional” (harmony with the Kyoto townscape), and “Free” (no constraints).

The students began by visiting the plant, observing the working factory and its surrounding streetscape firsthand. Their proposals reflect each student’s perspective: a symmetrical composition evoking the sanctity of temple and shrine architecture, a pattern inspired by constellations, and a design exploring how light is drawn in. After presentations and an exhibition at the university, the results were reported to Mitsubishi Motors. The proposals will inform the actual facade design.

Considering the “face” of a factory—a vast piece of architecture that sits within the city yet rarely enters our awareness—proved a rare experience for the students, in terms of both scale and public presence.