Nakamura Station in Tosa Kuroshio Railway (Shimanto, Kochi, JP)

by nextstations

Rethinks Waiting Areas

It is the renovation for Nakamura Stations of Tosa Kuroshio Tetsudo (Railway) Co., Ltd. This station was built by JNR, Japan National Railway on 1970. It is located as isolated and underused station at the tiny town named Shimanto in Kochi prefecture, 1027 km away from Tokyo.

We made free from any kinds of traditional boundary in the station. The trains are only arrived once an hour. They considered the waiting time for passengers as a first priority, because most of the passengers are students and elder people. Even in the tiny station, it has a big barrier to enter the platform. Removing the first gate of the ticket barrier, visitors are now able to enjoy sitting in a light-filled area with views of the river beyond without any stress. The lighting system, public bench and retail shelves, were integrated into one. Then forming a constant natural wooden element that fold through the room and along the platform.

By the following the renovation, a number of students have been returning to Nakamura Station and using the space as a place to study. It is a small step but it makes big influence for the tiny town. This atmosphere was changed visitor’s behaviors.

We Rethink that Nakamura Station is the important typology of the future local railway station!!