Iwatani Academy: Japan’s first technologically-imbued dairy farming school

The town of Nakashibetsu in northeastern Hokkaido is one of Japan’s leading dairy production areas. In line with the general trend, the town faces issues of a declining population and the outflow of younger generations. A lack of appealing industries and the perception of dairy farming as labour-intensive and inefficient are some factors that deter youth from participating in the industry.

In recent years, information technologies (IT) have been introduced into various aspects of dairy farming, such as cattle health management and guidance on walking routes. Supported by the local government, associations, construction companies and volunteers, Iwatani Academy spearheaded the establishment of Japan’s first “Dairy Farming × IT” specialised school, aimed at nurturing talents who are proficient in these technologies. The school not only aims to cultivate a generation that is highly skilled but also for young people to stay and live in their hometown, ultimately revitalising the local community.

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The school as a ‘home away from home’

Students in the dairy farming programme are required not only to complete normal lessons but also to engage in after-class group activities and internships, necessitating long hours on campus. Hence, the school was designed to be a comforting place, reminiscent of home.

Spaces such as classrooms, technology labs and library corners were conceptualised as ‘homes’ of various scales. These spaces are staggered along the site’s elongated east-west axis. The volumes are equipped with human-scale openings that connect between one mass to the next. The journey across these openings allows for diverse activities, which the architects liken to the anticipation of walking through a lively street. Although the combination of classrooms and corridors is typical, controlling the scale and arrangement created vibrant spaces.

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Enhancing community collaboration

The school has no fences or rigid boundaries. While this consideration aids in snow removal, it primarily aims to transform the facility from a mere school building into a community gathering place.

A partnership between the school’s founders and local authorities allows for the technology labs to be transformed into versatile community event spaces. Architecturally, movable partitions and wide sliding windows have been incorporated to accommodate large-scale events. The school has organised lectures in collaboration with local dairy farmers and also hosted programming workshops featuring its specialties for children from the neighbourhood.

As residential areas are spread to the west and east sides of the site, the school’s massing that resembles a collective of homes connects it visually to the neighbourhood. The façade harmonises with the nearby birch forest to the north, and the overall structure has been crafted from locally sourced timber. This timber was processed to be pre-cut by neighbouring businesses and assembled on-site, promoting a local consumption model that reduces transportation costs and supports the regional economy. Additionally, the building is registered in a project that is intended to enhance the appeal of Hokkaido-produced timber, serving as a practical example of promoting local materials.

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PROJECT DATA

Project Name   
Iwatani Academy “Dairy Farming × IT” Specialized School

Location            
Nakashibetsu Town, Shibetsu District, Hokkaido

Completion Date
December 2023

Site Area           
2,689.02 square metres

Gross Floor Area            
869.20 square metres

Building Height
5.48 metres

Client/Owner   
Iwatani Academy

Architecture Firms (Joint Venture)
Atelier MEME; Daiichitakken sekkei Co., LTD; K architectural office Inc.

Principal Architect
Atsuyuki Yagi (Atelier MEME)

Civil & Structural Engineer         
Soaps Inc.

Images/Photos
©Sakai Koji (GRAYTONE PHOTOGRAPHS)