Community and Social Contribution Activities
As a member of the local community, Nikken Sekkei is committed to creating “spaces” that support community health and well-being while providing “places” for fostering social interaction. Drawing on our expertise in architecture and design, we also engage in initiatives such as offering endowed university courses and supporting social ventures, sharing our knowledge and technical expertise in the fields of architecture and urban design with diverse stakeholders. Through these activities, we aim to cultivate the next generation of talent and promote the sustainable development of local communities.
Urban Development Initiatives at Iidamachi i-Garden
Nikken Sekkei participated as an urban planning consultant in the Iidamachi i-Garden, a redevelopment project of the former Japan Freight Railway (JR Freight) site. We contributed to the creation of a quality urban environment and helped establish a broad, continuous green corridor linking the greenery of the Imperial Palace and the Korakuen Garden. In addition, by acquiring part of the southern block and constructing our Tokyo head office building, we were actively involved in the overall spatial planning of the district and played a central role in fostering a new local community.
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Connecting the greenery of the Imperial Palace and the Korakuen Garden with the redevelopment of the former freight terminal site
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We supported the environmental development aimed at cultivating the green network and securing open spaces, and enhancing connectivity and walkability throughout the neighborhood.
Corporate galleries and showrooms line up on the ground floor of the southern block buildings, and are open to the public, enhancing the beauty of the streetscape and creating a vibrant atmosphere. Throughout the year, various community initiatives are held regularly, including festivals, disaster preparedness drills, and early morning volunteer cleanups, fostering continuous interaction and collaboration among residents.
Main Community Association Activities
| Event Name | Frequency | Description |
| Volunteer cleanup | Once a month | At i-Garden, volunteer clean-up activities are carried out through collaboration between companies and residents to beautify the area and foster community interaction. Through litter collection and plant maintenance, these efforts contribute to environmental improvement and stronger neighborhood bonds. |
| Disaster preparedness drill | Once a year | Disaster preparedness drills simulating earthquakes are conducted with the participation of the fire department, police, and residents, who cooperate in evacuation, rescue, and first-aid operations. Hands-on training sessions are also carried out, helping to raise awareness of disaster and crime prevention in the community. |
| i-i FESTA | Once a year | Community events are held in the i-Garden area to promote neighborhood interaction. Government offices, neighborhood associations, shopping districts, and local companies work together to support community coexistence and local development. These events include food stalls, activity booths, and programs enjoyable for both children and adults. |
| Nikken Sekkei Gallery Exhibitions | Two to three times a year | At the ground-floor gallery of the Tokyo Building in Iidabashi, Chiyoda-ku, exhibitions on the company’s architectural technologies are regularly held. These exhibitions showcase the appeal of architecture and cities and highlight advanced initiatives to a wide audience, including architecture professionals and residents. |
| Regional Cooperation Meeting for Stranded Commuters (Fujimi–Iidabashi Station Area) | Once a year | A disaster preparedness organization has been established through collaboration between local neighborhood associations and businesses to support people who are unable to return home following a major disaster. Nikken Sekkei participates as the lead company and engages in activities such as information services and evacuation guidance. |
| Tokyo Architecture Festival | Once a year | This event rediscovers the appeal of Tokyo through architecture. Nikken Sekkei introduces the charm and design philosophy of notable buildings designed by the company by organizing exhibitions of architectural drawings and guided architecture tours. |
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Disaster preparedness drill
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Volunteer clean-up
Community engagement through architecture
Beyond its core professional practice, Nikken Sekkei actively participates in initiatives that foster coexistence with local communities and cultivate connections with the residents. Working in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, the firm shares its professional expertise through events that communicate the appeal of architecture and cities, contributing to community revitalization and the creation of sustainable urban environments.
Major events
Tokyo Architecture Festival
Under the theme “Experiencing people, understanding the city, through architecture,” this event opens historic and modern buildings in Tokyo—many of which are usually inaccessible to the public—inviting visitors to discover the thoughts and aspirations of those involved in architecture, rediscover the city’s appeal, and reflect on its future. In the inaugural edition in 2024, Nikken Sekkei planned and conducted architectural guide tours in the Kyobashi area together with its clients. For the second edition in 2025, in addition to architectural tours of the Palace Side Building, the firm hosted a drawing exhibition at its Tokyo headquarters, broadly advocating the cultural value and appeal of architecture to local residents and visitors alike.
OPEN HOUSE OSAKA
Since its inaugural edition in 2014, OPEN HOUSE OSAKA has welcomed a cumulative total of more than 60,000 visitors, making it one of the largest architectural events in Japan. The festival offers free access to many of Osaka’s notable buildings at once. With citizens, companies, and public authorities working together, it aims to communicate new values in architecture while fostering attachment to the city and civic pride, contributing to Osaka’s urban development. Sharing this vision, Nikken Sekkei has participated actively since 2016 by creating exhibition areas and a café within its Osaka office and hosting guided tours led by designers for visitors.
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Tokyo Architecture Festival 2025
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OPEN HOUSE OSAKA 2025
NIKKEN FORUM
Since 1988, Nikken Sekkei has hosted “NIKKEN FORUM,” a free public forum held four times a year to broadly share the latest knowledge and technologies in architecture and urban design. The forum features lectures by specialists from various fields and talk sessions with the company staff. It serves as a lively platform for discussing current trends in architecture and the increasingly complex social issues, attracting a diverse range of participants.
Disaster Relief
Volunteer Club
The internal Volunteer Club (a recognized company club activity) carries out support activities for the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake, making use of its members’ professional expertise. Their unique efforts include presenting three-dimensional diagrams of tsunami-affected areas, organizing various workshops, conducting interviews with people outside the architecture field, assisting in formulating disaster recovery plans, and implementing projects to improve living conditions in temporary housing. All activities are conducted in communication with residents in the affected regions.
The internal Volunteer Club (a recognized company club activity) carries out support activities for the recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake, making use of its members’ professional expertise. Their unique efforts include presenting three-dimensional diagrams of tsunami-affected areas, organizing various workshops, conducting interviews with people outside the architecture field, assisting in formulating disaster recovery plans, and implementing projects to improve living conditions in temporary housing. All activities are conducted in communication with residents in the affected regions.