NEWS

Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall: Completion Ceremony and Tour

Update: December 2, 2022

On Friday December 2nd, the completion ceremony for the Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall was held to celebrate the completion of the new building which began construction in May 2021.

The Arts and Sciences Hall was constructed on the west side of the main building as a symbol of the integration of the arts and sciences, which is part of our university's philosophy. All the facilities and functions currently located in the Science Hall, including the seminar rooms and laboratories will move to this four-story building and will also house five large classrooms that will be used by all the students, but with a focus on first and second year students. Furthermore, the five humanities and social sciences research institutes; the Institute for Educational Research and Service, Social Science Research Institute, Institute for the Study of Christianity and Culture, Institute of Asian Cultural Studies, Peace Research Institute, as well as part of the administrative office will also move to the new building. The building will also include a common space, known as the Hub Central, which will be available to all students, and will utilize a hybrid air conditioning system that takes advantage of the warm sunlight and natural breeze so as to comply with Sustainable Development Goals. The building is also designed so that changes can be made to the layout whenever necessary in later years.

 

Completion Ceremony

The ceremony was attended by members from the university and the parties involved in the building's construction. The ceremony was officiated by the university chaplain, Shoko Kitanaka. Representing the parties involved in the construction of the building, Yuji Iwahashi, Senior Director, Architecture, Nihon Sekkei, gave a speech celebrating the completion of the building, and from our university, Takashi Nakajima, Managing Trustee for Financial Affairs thanked all those involved and expressed his thoughts on the Arts and Sciences Hall. Following this, Reverend Kitanaka quoted a message from a 1974 chapel service by the university's first Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Troyer, after whom the building is named. In this sermon, she mentioned her wish for the Arts and Sciences Hall to be become a space where each individual can learn with dignity and self-esteem, and where various specializations as well as points of issues can intersect, enabling people and academia to open new doors.

Subsequently, Jun Shinozaki, President and CEO of Nihon Sekkei, Kengo Kuma, Kengo Kuma & Associates, Yoshiro Aikawa, President and Chief Executive Officer, Representative Director, Taisei Corporation , Shoichiro Iwakiri, President of ICU, Hirotaka Takeuchi, Chair of the ICU Board of Trustees, gave congratulatory speeches. They thanked all those involved and mentioned their hopes for the Arts and Sciences Hall to become a creative space where various individuals and studies can come together, a building that is in harmony with the abundant nature on campus and a place that will continue to be used for many years to come. Lastly, the university presented the parties involved in the design and construction of the building with a letter of appreciation.

 

Tour of the Building

The completion ceremony was followed by a tour of the building during which the various aspects of the building's design was unveiled. Participants received explanations regarding the types of ducts in the ceiling that were purposely left uncovered to show the structure of the building, the classroom full of natural light that seats 300 people and includes a translation booth, laboratories which take ventilation into account, an automated system that circulates outside air into the building according to the temperature, and the Hub Central designed to naturally enhance dialogue between students and faculty members.