Japan’s post war economic boom saw a huge increase in the domestic population and construction projects all over the country. Many of the buildings thrown up in this era of rapid economic growth are now in disrepair. Tattered concrete monoliths held together with reinforced steel girders, too expensive to demolish, and equally expensive to renovate. For the owners of these buildings, they are often more of a burden than a blessing, needing constant repair and with rapidly decreasing utility.
Retroft is a five-storey building in Kagoshima City comprising of an art gallery, shops, restaurants, a bookstore, and studio apartments lived in by creatives on the upper floors. A rare example of the effective repurposing of an old building in Japan, Retroft has become a key hub for inner city art and culture.
This time we speak to our good friends and owners of Retroft, husband and wife team Nagai Akihiro and Yumie. Find out about the challenges they faced inheriting an old building, how they decided to create a blank canvas for artists to create on, and the young architect that helped them turn their dreams into reality.
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Retroft Chitose Building / Retroft Museo
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People of Kagoshima
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AloJapan.com