September 13, 2023
We opened an Instagram account to showcase our attractive architectural creations that embody our client's requirements. This account provides information focusing on KUME's completed projects and initiatives. Since its opening, as we continue to post, we have increasingly felt compelled to take on new challenges from different perspectives that would help introduce KUME to a broader audience.
April 1, 2024
In sympathy with the "April Dream" project by PR TIMES, we decided to think about our dream, which is,
"To create architecture all over Japan that people will want to point their lenses at."
As you know, April 1, April Fool's Day, is considered a " day when it is OK to tell a lie. While lying may give a negative impression, "April Dream" was a fantastic event that replaced lying with dreaming and turned it into a positive experience. For this event, one of the trains of the Yamanote Line was wrapped with graphic images for a limited time, and the monitors inside the train were decorated with images of collected dreams. KUME's dream was also displayed on the monitors, further strengthening our desire to make it a reality.
April 1, 2024 - May 10, 2024
"To create architecture all over Japan that people will want to point their lenses at."
What can we do to realize this dream?
This dream is a testament to our unwavering commitment to conveying KUME's appeal through our architectural creations in Japan and globally. Our key focus has been understanding how users perceive Kume's buildings through their posts. Instagram, with its photo-sharing function, is the most suitable communication tool for this purpose. Since our establishment, we have championed the willingness to challenge ourselves and decided to put it into practice this time.
Architecture that one wants to point a lens at. It is a comfortable place that one naturally feels like visiting.
During the submission period of the #KumePhotoCon, we looked forward to receiving photos of the buildings that people visited and spent time comfortably in. All the images submitted were so compelling that one could imagine how each person spent their time in the building.
In addition to Instagram, we used the company intranet to share with all employees how people perceive KUME's projects.
By the end of the application period, the number of submissions far exceeded our goal, with many people submitting their photos.
June 10, 2024
We selected and announced the Top 10 entries from 152 submissions by in-house voting.
Upon completing our projects, we typically commission architectural photographers to take completion photos that convey appealing features of the building. While we are accustomed to seeing such completion photos, we were delighted to see how the photos taken from the users' perspectives and submitted to #KumePhotoCon conveyed the rich qualities of the time they spent there.
The photos, which capture everyday scenes from fresh perspectives, provided many discoveries, and our employees' selection process sparked a new dialogue with the users. We were surprised to see the unexpected and expected ways people used the buildings. But above all, we were most pleased with how they are used and cherished by everyone. Kume Sekkei is committed to expanding the possibilities of architecture and striving harder to realize our dreams with everyone who supports them.
