With an area of ​​3.47 km2, Funahashi Village in Nakaniikawa District, Toyama Prefecture, is the smallest village in Japan.

Located almost in the center of the Toyama Plain, just 15 minutes by train and 20 minutes by car from Toyama City, the area has seen a high rate of population growth among people raising children in recent years.

While new residential development is progressing in line with the population increase, the problem of vacant existing homes is becoming more serious.

Adjacent to Funahashi Station is an old mansion surrounded by a lush, forest-like garden.

This project aimed to transform this closed forest into an open community garden where adults and children can gather through a new child-rearing system.

Because the existing buildings and garden were already attractive, the new modifications required ensuring earthquake resistance and insulation to ensure residents' comfort, and to provide a backdrop for the activities that take place there while making use of the unique character of the existing garden and architecture.

The main house, where the children live, has a large opening facing the garden with a large galvanized steel eave and a spacious earthen floor. Children are welcomed from the veranda, creating a gentle connection between the interior and the garden.

Both the floors and walls of the interior are clad in solid cedar from Toyama Prefecture, and the solid materials are used with minimal detailing, intended to serve as a backdrop to highlight the garden and the children's activities.

The detached building, named "noki," will serve as a cafe where local people can gather.

The existing wooden structure is exposed and covered with glass, creating an open space with a relaxing feel, just like relaxing under the eaves, and an environment where local people can keep an eye on the children as they work in the garden.

Other structures remaining on the site include a storehouse and a shed, which have been left as space for future activities.

With this plan, we have created a place for the children to live and a place for the local community to gather.

We hope that new encounters will arise from this and that these spaces will inspire new activities.