Key Facts
• August 26: Committee presented additional details on gymnasium preservation and reuse plans.
• July 18: Proposal submitted to Kagawa Governor for seismic retrofitting and hotel conversion.
• August 5: Additional documents submitted; August 6: Education Board rejected proposal.
• August 7: Kagawa Prefecture announced demolition tender due to safety concerns.
• Experts and companies, including architects and consultants, participated in the August 26 briefing.
• Online participants included a Harvard professor and a former Japan Architectural Institute president.
• Committee disputes demolition risks, citing structural features like prestressed concrete and low height.
• Estimated demolition cost: ¥1 billion; committee proposes reinvestment into local industries.
• Committee is preparing legal actions to delay demolition and seek further discussions.
Summary
The Former Kagawa Prefectural Gymnasium Committee held a briefing on August 26 to discuss its plans for preserving and repurposing the gymnasium in Takamatsu City. The committee, led by architect Keita Nagata, proposed using private funds for seismic retrofitting and converting the facility into a hotel. Despite submitting additional documents, the Kagawa Education Board rejected the proposal, citing unclear plans, and the prefecture announced a demolition tender. Experts and companies, including architects and consultants, supported the committee’s efforts, while online participants and video messages from prominent figures added further backing. The committee argues that the structure’s design minimizes collapse risks and estimates that preservation could save ¥1 billion in demolition costs, reinvesting it into local industries. Legal measures are being prepared to delay demolition and allow more time for negotiations. The committee envisions the gymnasium as a regional heritage site for the next century.
