Community enrichment is often challenging without proactive initiatives and activities. In some areas, however, there seems to be a limit to what residents alone can do to sustain these efforts. In large-scale developments, the developer will lead area management activities in the community, but such activities are not available in all communities. We believe corporations can play a significant role in community development, which residents cannot accomplish alone. Companies exist in every community, even in residential areas outside the city center, and engage with the community somehow.
"Corporate citizenship" is a term used in business administration to describe how companies should be good citizens before pursuing profits and be aware of their role as citizens in the community. With this term as one of the pillars of our corporate activities, we believe that more proactive corporate involvement in local community development will effectively contribute to the betterment of the community. Companies should think about what they can do from a "good citizen" standpoint rather than just being involved in community activities as a sponsor. We thought it would be difficult to sustain such activities solely based on the idea of "social contribution." Instead, it would be better to start with something as an extension of our company's area of expertise, namely what we are good at and what we want to promote, and we are now putting this into practice.
The Former Honda House is a two-story wooden house located in Zushi, Kanagawa Prefecture, which was constructed in 1938. It was designed by Gonkuro Kume, the founder of Kume Sekkei, using the Kume Method of Earthquake-resistant Wooden Construction. This building is the third of its kind, following the Kanaya Hotel in Nikko and the Manpei Hotel in Karuizawa, to utilize this unique construction technique. We acquired the property from its original owner, Mr. Honda, and we are currently undertaking conservation and renovation work to repurpose it for new uses. Nestled amidst the lush natural surroundings, this Western-style house has been cherished by the local community over its extensive history. Recently, it has also been officially registered as a Tangible Cultural Property.
During the ongoing renovations, we are actively strengthening our ties with the local community. We have organized building tours to provide them with insights into its abundant history. Additionally, we have been engaging in discussions with individuals actively involved in Zushi, to explore opportunities for collaboration and shape the future of the community.
Furthermore, we are encouraging our employees to actively participate in community projects. By involving them in the building process and facilitating dialogue regarding its future use, we aim to foster a sustainable relationship between our organization and the community.
In 2024, we plan to unveil the facility as a workcation destination for our employees, while also serving as a new community hub. This hub will offer a variety of activities for neighbors, including both children and adults. We envision our employees taking an active role in community engagement and management, using our company's expertise to make meaningful contributions to the community's progress.
Our goal is to foster the continuous progress of both our company and the community, as we work hand in hand toward an abundant future.
Kume Sekkei is also active in Shiomi, Koto-ku, home to the company's headquarters. We invite children from the community to workshops at our head office. We hope to provide opportunities for participating children to enjoy the "fun of creation" through learning about communities and buildings and creating future cities and help them achieve a "creative future" in any way we can.
Kume Sekkei is good at "creating" and "designing. We believe that contributing these strengths to the community will lead to its enrichment. We hope to contribute in some way to help children become builders of a "creative society." Our employees learn, discover, and learn through their involvement with communities. We will continue to pursue new ways toward better community involvement and further expand our activities as a "good citizen."
