“Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall”
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A learning place where “MIX” are created - A Day of ICU Student at the Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall

New Mvie Released!

In December 2022, a new place of learning was built on the ICU campus.
We created a space where all students, regardless of their major, can exchange their knowledge.
Please explore the Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall that bring about evolution in ICU’s liberal arts.

Experience the Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall through three student stories

トロイヤー記念アーツ・サイエンス館 Story Movie

#01
Studying at Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall
What led me to the path of research…
"This place pushes us to live more freely, more flexibly. That's what this place means to me."
#02
Studying at Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall
Encounter a world never seen
"On the other side of this glass wall lies a different world that, at some point has become a regular part of my day to day."
#03
Recitation of ICU President Iwaki's original work
"Place of Learning"
The Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall invites in a wave of students. Here, learning happens through collaboration and new knowledge is borne out of such encounters every day
#01
Episode 1
Studying at Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall
What led me to the path of research…
"This place pushes us to live more freely, more flexibly. That's what this place means to me."
#02
Episode 2
Studying at Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall
Encounter a world never seen
"On the other side of this glass wall lies a different world that, at some point has become a regular part of my day to day."
#03
Episode 3
Recitation of ICU President Iwaki's original work
"Place of Learning"
The Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall invites in a wave of students. Here, learning happens through collaboration and new knowledge is borne out of such encounters every day

A place where arts and sciences are integrated

Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall is a place of learning for liberal arts where students foster intelligence and a rich humanity through an encounter with diverse and different academic disciplines.

For Arts For Sciences For Communication

For Arts

Five humanities and social sciences research institutes moved to the new building, and large classrooms were set up to accommodate students of
all majors.

For Sciences

The laboratories for the natural sciences majors are available. All students can see the labs through the glass-sided.

For Communication

The Hub Central combines a free space to relax between classes and research and is a meeting place to connect students and faculty of diverse majors.

Space for “Integration of Knowledge”
Shoichiro Iwakiri President

The liberal arts represents a flexible education system that provides the foundations for the construction of diverse knowledge pathways internally and also within society and for the creation of new values, systems, and things. I see T-kan as a space that generates spontaneous synaptic encounters in mental circuits in the course of our comings and goings̶a fascinating place where faculty members and students are linked together through this discontinuous contact, emitting and receiving thoughts and feelings. The appeal of ICU lies in the open dialogue it celebrates. I look forward to that appeal deepening within the embrace of the natural beauty of the four seasons.

The vision of Dr. Troyer
ICU's first VPAA
Dr. Troyer

In order to make the individual fields of specialization more meaningful, students must be taught to take a broader interest in fields outside of their area of specialization. Japanese students needed to be able to place the important problems of their day within a broad and complex context.

Note: Dr. Troyer’s ideas have been gleaned from the ICU archives and materials about the founding days including Higher Education for Tomorrow by Dr. Kiyoko Takeda.

Dr. Troyer was one of the central figures involved in the founding of ICU and worked vigorously along as the first Vice President for Academic Affairs. He come to Japan immediately after World War Ⅱ as a specialist in education and laid the foundation of ICU's educational system.
We expect the hall to be a creative and inspiring space and is in keeping with the spirit of his vision.

The two contents below describe the Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall (T-kan) from two different and in-depth perspectives.
The "Discovery Tour" takes you on a tour of each floor, and "A Day at T-kan" lets you experience a day in the life of the T-kan.

  • Discovery Tour
  • A Day at T-kan
MAP

Explore the Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall (T-kan).

Discover the T-kan, which further integrates the arts and sciences and deepens ICU's commitment to the liberal arts.
Let's take a tour of the T-kan, which is filled with various unique ideas and innovations.

Take a 10-minute walk from the ICU bus stop.
There, you can see the building with the large wooden eaves behind the University Hall.
It is a learning place designed for students studying different fields to "meet" each other as well as faculty members.
What kinds of dialogues are unfolded here where various people gather today?

Join us for a tour of the Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall (T-kan)!

T-kan is located between the west side of the University Hall and the Science Hall and combines the functions of both buildings.
This further enhancement of the campus environment will encourage exchange
among faculty members and students beyond their majors and lead to “integration of knowledge.”
The floor area of 10,027m2 is the largest on campus, surpassing the University Hall.

1stFloor

Ground-breaking Design

One feature of the building is its massive wooden eaves. Around seven meters in width, they are a far cry from the usual image of eaves. The design not only imparts the warmth of wood, but also provides a sheltering space where people can meet and relax.

Interaction Space “Hub Central”

“Hub Central” on the first floor is an interaction space where multiple students can get together and make use of the space for various different purposes. Furnished with tables, sofas, and other fixtures, it invites spontaneous gatherings and collaboration.

A Café Named after Greek Mythology

Nestled in one corner of Hub Central is Café ILION, which operates on a cashless self-checkout system. With “Troyer” bringing to mind Troy in Greek mythology, the café was named “Ilion” as the other name for Troy.

Knowledge and Individuality Mix in ICU’s Biggest Classroom

Designed for large-scale classes and lectures, such as for general education courses, this huge classroom can seat 300 people. Despite its size, it holds fast to the ICU philosophy of learning through dialogue. At times during class, students and faculty members engage in discussion, or students engage in groupwork together. It is this intersection of students with different areas of expertise and different backgrounds that opens up new perspectives.

2ndFloor

Glass-walled Laboratories Spark Curiosity

One feature of T-kan is its glass-walled laboratories. Natural science lab facilities previously located in the Science Hall have been moved to this new location, where the transparent walls enable passing students to see inside. The easy access to science is designed to spark students’ curiosity and generate unexpected ideas.

First Step toward “Integration of Knowledge”

According to Professor Ken Okano(Major: Physics, Environmental Studies), who is in charge of natural science facility management, “While the idea of physics and chemistry undertaken in the labs can seem intimidating, the open design has led to a lot of faces watching through the glass̶and piquing interest is the first step toward ‘integration of knowledge.’ "

Interview Student Interview
Sarika Kharbuja

4th year student, College of Liberal Arts;
Major: Physics
Minor: Business

Opening the Way for Interaction Among Students from Diverse Majors

I’m working on semiconductor research, and I use the glass-fronted labs mostly for my senior research experiments. When the labs were in the Science Hall, I had almost no contact with students who weren’t natural science majors, but since the labs shifted here, I’ve been able to interact with students from many different majors. I find it really motivating when friends from other majors go past the lab and say hi.

Yui Kowata

3rd year student, College of Liberal Arts;
Major: Language Education
Minor: Public Policy

Broadening My Network and My Knowledge in an Integrative Space

Some of my classes are at T-kan, so I make my way here several times a week. I never paid much attention to natural sciences, but the glass-fronted labs have really drawn me in. Now I’m so fascinated that I’m thinking of taking natural sciences courses. I want to broaden both my personal network and my knowledge in this great space that integrates a range of knowledge.

3rdFloor

Offices Open to All Students

During office hours, a stream of students visit faculty members in their offices on the second and third floors of T-kan. They come for many different reasons, from questions and discussion about lecture content to major selection, extracurricular activities, and post-graduation career paths.

3rd - 4th Floor

A Sense of the Site’s Grand History

The central stairs connecting the third and fourth floors offer a fascinating display of the stratigraphy of soil excavated as part of the buried cultural property survey conducted prior to the building’s construction. The bottommost layer dates back around 40,000 years BP when the human race first appeared on the Japanese archipelago. The size of the display imparts a real sense of the accumulation of time.

Recycling Trees Felled During Construction

T-kan room nameplates and floor maps are made of wood recycled from cedar trees felled during the building’s construction. These long-time fellow denizens of the ICU campus now bring warmth to the building interior in a different form.

4thFloor

A Research Institute Space that Accelerates Integration

Five research institutes located in the University Hall have been clustered on the fourth floor of T-kan. Conversation spaces have been created in front of them to encourage more cross-disciplinary exchange. We asked the research institute directors about their hopes and expectations of T-kan.

417

Institute for the Study of Christianity and Culture (ICC)

Professor Aki Ito
Major: Art and Cultural Heritage

ICC explores themes in the study of Christianity and related fields and communicates research outcomes via lectures, symposia, and our bulletin Humanities: Christianity and Culture. T-kan is a real “salon of knowledge". I see it becoming a space for interaction that will deepen knowledge and thought beyond researchers’ own areas of expertise.

418

Institute of Asian Cultural Studies (IACS)

Professor Hideaki Kikuchi
Major: History, Asian Studies

IACS comprehends Asian history and culture from a broad perspective, passing on the results to society through the bulletin Asian Cultural Studies and over 300 open lectures. T-kan is incredibly appealing as a space for the dialogue prized by ICU. Our friendly staff are well-versed in Asia’s many different languages.

419

Institute for Educational Research and Service (IERS)

Professor Hiroshi Okawa
Major: Education, Japan Studies

IERS was established in 1953 as ICU’s first research institute. It pursues both basic and applied education research, and communicates the outcomes of that research to society via our bulletin Educational Studies and various events. I hope that T-kan will strengthen the connections among ICU’s research institutes and provide more opportunities for students to stop by.

420

Social Science Research Institute (SSRI)

Professor Katsuhiko Mori
Major:
International Relations, Global Studies, Politics

SSRI publishes the Journal of Social Science and conducts open lectures and joint research projects. We aim to become an international hub for academic exchange and knowledge sharing in the social sciences. T-kan will promote further integration between the humanities and the natural and social sciences and encourage dynamic interdisciplinary research.

422

Peace Research Institute(PRI)

Senior Associate Professor
Christopher E. J. Simons
Major:
Literature, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Peace Studies

ICU was founded with a mission of peace. PRI conducts interdisciplinary research to promote the pursuit of peace around the world. It looks forward to working in the “T-kan,” which exists in harmony with the natural landscape of ICU’s campus. PRI will work alongside ICU’s other research institutes to produce high quality research outcomes, and to continue to attract top students and faculty from Japan and around the world.

Interview Promoting Research Integration and Creating New Values

Professor Yoshie Moriki

Director, Center for Research Planning and Support (CRPS)
Major:
Anthropology, Asian Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies

ICU has various research institutes and centers, each with their own backgrounds, missions, and paths. The CRPS was established in 2016 to enhance support for these research institutes and for researchers. We help to secure research funding, as well as providing support designed to further energize research activities.

Research can often create new values when experts from diverse areas collaborate rather than when examining from a single viewpoint. That is why it is important that researchers maintain an interest in what their colleagues are investigating. In that sense, I think it is extremely significant that the physical distance among our research institutes has been reduced, creating an environment that necessarily encourages interaction.

Education and research are said to be the “twin pillars” of a university, and I think that it is ICU’s passion for education that makes the role of research so important. If faculty members do not constantly update their own research and reflect it in education, they will not be able to match the enthusiasm of ICU’s highly ambitious students. I look forward to this new environment arousing researchers’ spirit of inquiry and generating further integration, driving ICU forward in its “University of Tomorrow” endeavor.

Message Open Quadrangles That Foster Open Minds

Kengo Kuma

The world-renowned architect founded Kengo Kuma and Associates (KKAA) in 1990. He has designed buildings in more than 20 countries and is the recipient of the Architectural Institute of Japan Education Award, the Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture Award (Finland) and the International Stone Architecture Award (Italy). He created the ICU Grand Campus Design.

On Tuesday, June 6, a special lecture hosted by the president was held to commemorate the opening of T-kan. Using ancient Greek and Roman architecture and his recent projects as examples, Mr. Kuma emphasized the significance of “Quadrangles" and “Corridors" at universities, which were also adopted in the T-kan. He pointed out that the ICU campus possesses an “Anti-Urbanity," situated away from cities constrained by fixed ideas. Mr. Kuma expressed his expectations for the campus to become an open space where dialogue can take place freely, liberated from the framework of the humanities and sciences.

※T-kan Grand Opening Commemorative Special Lecture

A Day at the Troyer Memorial Arts and Science Hall

The ICU’s liberal arts are not developed only in the classroom.
Students broaden their perspectives by becoming aware of the different viewpoints of others through dialogues
on campus during lunch and after-school hours.
When people meet and academic disciplines cross over, knowledge are integrated and bring about deepening of the liberal arts.

10:1010:10～

An Information Science major course in a large classroom where students from diverse backgrounds assemble to study.

The largest classroom at ICU where intelligence and individuality intermingle

Students from diverse backgrounds and majors will gather in the largest classroom of ICU. Dialogue in and out of the classroom opens the window for new perspectives.

11:3011:30～

A visit to a professor’s office,
for an open-ended discussion.

Faculty members are always approachable

Offices of professors of Natural Sciences in the Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall. Visit the professor who specializes in the field of your interest during office hours.
The conversation could inspire a fresh perspective for your senior thesis.

11:3012:40～

Lunch in the open space with an international student I met in class.

The Hub Central and Quadrangle

The open space provides an ideal place to meet with students from diverse backgrounds. Refresh yourself at the indoor café in Hub Central or the Quadrangle in the new courtyard.

13:5013:50～

Be inspired by a friend engrossed in an experiment in a glass-walled open lab.

Glass-walled laboratories

All laboratories in the Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall have glass walls enabling other students passing to watch the experiments. Easy access to scientific activity can inspire them to pursue new interests.

15:1015:10～

Environmental studies on the rooftop garden, using all five senses,
not just a pen.

The rooftop as learning space

The rooftop garden will be used for environmental studies, to engage our students with hands-on learning using the five senses, in addition to lectures.

  • Discovery Tour
  • A Day at T-kan

News

All news

CAMPUS MAP

Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall

Profile of the Troyer Memorial
Arts and Science Hall

［Building Name:］

Troyer Memorial Arts and Sciences Hall

［Building owner:］

International Christian University

［Basic and detailed designs:］

Nihon Sekkei, Inc. and Kengo Kuma and Associates

［Overview:］

Four floors on the ground

1st floor: Hub Central, one large classroom (capacity of 300 people), laboratories, open lab spaces, a healthcare office, offices, a café, conference rooms, seminar rooms, etc.

2nd and 3rd floor: two large classrooms (capacity of 180 people), laboratories, faculty offices, open lab spaces, conference rooms, seminar rooms, etc.

4th floor: faculty offices, laboratories, rooftop garden space, etc.