A co-creation area filled with floating light boxes

ModuleX® was selected for the North Building of Eiken Chemical’s R&D Center, one of the clinical diagnostic reagent manufacturer’s research facilities.

This new research building, designed to bring Eiken Chemical’s research divisions together, includes zones for both experimentation and administration. The central co-creation area––a three-story open space––features human-scale pass boxes designed to link the experimental and administrative zones, modeled after the pass boxes traditionally used to transfer laboratory equipment and supplies between rooms.
These boxes allow researchers to move between zones, interact, and refresh themselves. The gradient light radiating from the illuminated boxes not only enhances the overall brightness of the space but also serves as a symbolic feature of the research institute.

The concept of the institute was to stimulate researchers’ intellectual creativity and foster the communication necessary to realize this creativity.
The lighting design was carefully considered in parallel with the color scheme in order to symbolize and represent the diverse activities of researchers within these new boxed spaces.
In addition, through a series of discussions with the architects and repeated simulations, we examined how functional lighting could also serve to maximize the value of the space. To achieve this, we designed the lighting environment using our ModuleX® Lighting Method.

This property earned the rank of S under both the CASBEE Real Estate (New Construction) and CASBEE-Smart Wellness Office certification systems. The distinctive design approach, tailored to the needs of a research facility, was further recognized with the 2023 Good Design Award and the 2024 Lighting Facility Award.