The Niigata Nippo Co., Ltd.
Niigata Nippo Media Ship
The motif selected for the Niigata Nippo Media Ship was the kitamaebune, the pre-modern ships that handled cultural interchange and the carrying of Japanese goods across the Sea of Japan. As a commemorative project for the 70th anniversary of its founding, in 2012 the Niigata Nippo newspaper company moved its headquarters functions to the center of the city of Niigata, creating a facility that also serves as a site for academic and cultural exchange activities. Floors 1 to 7 are the commercial, academic, and cultural activity floors; 8 to 13 are office tenant floors; and 14 to 18 are the floors for work activities involving Niigata Nippo. To promote the region’s economy and culture, the company will loan the use of the entrance, the hall, the outside terrace, and the observation floor at the top of the building. In conjunction with the Niigata Nippo office move, work-style reforms were also implemented. An effort was made to cut the volume of documents used, and a free-address system was introduced in about 30 percent of the departments, including the sales and editorial departments. Work floors 15 to 17 are connected by internal stairways, and in the open discussion corners established in the vicinity, active interdepartmental communication is now taking place.