"Practical education" created by companies and universities together - From collaboration with Asmio Co., Ltd.

BeCAT sees corporate donations not simply as financial support for education, but as a "starting point for practice" that connects education with the real world.

Here, we will introduce the process of how student learning was connected to actual corporate projects and then opened up to the city, using the collaboration between Kyushu University BeCAT and Fukuoka-based Asmio Co., Ltd. as an example.

CASE_01｜Fukuoka general construction company Asumio Co., Ltd.

Asmio Co., Ltd.is a Fukuoka-based company that has been involved in building the infrastructure of cities and regions through civil engineering and construction.
The donation to Kyushu University BeCAT was made with the aim of creating an opportunity to think practically about the future of architecture and cities together with students who will be the leaders of the next generation.

BeCAT STUDIO 2023 | A "headquarters building open to the city" conceived by students and companies

Taking the headquarters building that Asmio Co., Ltd. plans to build in front of Hashimoto Station on the Fukuoka Municipal Subway as its subject, students and faculty members at BeCAT's design studio considered how the relationship between a company and the community could be expressed through architecture, rather than just as an office space for business.

The studio began with employees and students visiting advanced cases together and sharing their perspectives.

Multiple proposals were produced based on the theme of how the building could contribute to the surrounding town, rather than simply being an office space for business, and how the relationship between the company and the community could be expressed in architecture.

The results of the studio were presented to employees at the head office, providing a valuable opportunity for the students to learn about practical aspects of the business.

BeCAT PROJECT 2024/2025 | Two proposals for master's projects

As part of this initiative, a master's student submitted a research and design project proposing the use of wood from forests owned by Asmio.

The proposal is to use the temporary fencing during construction not simply as a safety measure, but as "furniture that will dry wood and also provide a place for residents to gather" in 2024. The proposal reimagines the temporary fencing during construction, which has turned its back on the town, as urban furniture that will serve both as a place for the wood drying process and a space for residents to stay.

The proposal calls for the use of large sections of timber from the forest as concrete formwork in 2025. This is an attempt to rethink the construction process itself and explore new design possibilities from both environmental and technical perspectives.

From proposal to implementation

The discussions between students and faculty in the design studio are not limited to proposing ideas; they are being shared as one of the perspectives for design consideration in the headquarters building plan, which has been taken over by the architecture faculty and is currently underway.
The proposal was discussed with employees in the studio and then refined based on that discussion. The plan is now being worked out as a detailed design together with partner companies, and consideration is underway for future plans.
The students' ideas are steadily coming closer to becoming real architecture.
Even after the head office building is completed, further collaboration is planned, including the production of furniture to be used within the building.

This initiative is one example that shows how corporate donations can not only deepen students' learning, but can also be used in practice to connect education with the real world.

Kyushu University BeCAT will continue to explore new forms of architecture and cities together with companies and local communities through projects that combine education and practice.