VISION
Co-Creation with the Invisible
Bunka Engineering Laboratory integrates engineering analysis with cultural insight
to design the relationships between environment, place, and people.
Rather than starting from form,
we approach architecture through conditions and relationships—
invisible forces such as wind, sound, and heat,
as well as the memory of the land and everyday human practices.
By carefully reading the resources of each site,
we aim to create environments in which
the latent values and qualities of a place
can be naturally recognized and shared.
APPROACH
Bunka Engineering Design
PROFILE
Bunka Engineering Laboratory Co., Ltd
First-class registered architect office (Registered by governor of Hyogo prefecture No. 01A04767)
Hiroaki Kitagawa CEO
First-class registered architect (No.364895)
Executive Director of Hyogo Association of Architectural Firms
Lecturer at Kobe Design University
He got a Master’s degree of Architectural Design at Kyoto Institute of Technology in 2008. He worked at Alhadeff Architects (Milan, Italy) from 2008 to 2013, working on projects in Italy, England, Switzerland etc.
In parallel with working at the architect office, he studied environmental engineering at the Master’s program of Architectural Engineering in Politecnico di Milano from 2009 to 2010.
He established Bunka Engineering Laboratory in 2018.
Soichi Kitagawa Senior Managing Director
Director of Kwasan Astro-Culture Foundation
Director of NPO Kwasan Astro Network
He graduated from Kyoto University with a Master’s degree of Mechanical Engineering in 1980, joined Kobe Steel Co., Ltd. and engaged in the design and development of rolling mills mainly in the machinery devision, from 2011 worked as General Manager of Kyushu Branch. From 2014 to 2017, had worked as Managing Director for Shinko Techno Co.,Ltd.
Since 2017, he has been a lecturer at Kyoto University, Unit of Synergetic Studies for Space, and has been engaged in Kwasan Astronomical Observatory of the Graduate School of Science.
He participated in the establishment of Bunka Engineering Laboratory in 2018.
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STUDIO
1-3-4 Shichinomiya-cho, Hyogo-ku, Kobe, 652-0831, Japan