This facility, located within a convention center in Takasaki, Gunma, is Asia’s first educational center dedicated to developing digital creativity. It introduces the internationally acclaimed program from TUMO, a digital education institute based in Armenia, offering junior and senior high school students the opportunity to learn cutting-edge digital skills free of charge. The program combines self-learning—where students move freely with their laptops to study anywhere within the facility—with workshops held in four dedicated workshop rooms.
Following TUMO’s global design guidelines, the layout and material palette were developed while integrating a distinctly Japanese sensibility through the use of Japan Blue, a traditional indigo dye color, as the key tone. Together with prefectural officials, we explored how to create a space that encourages students to come and learn independently, even within a self-directed environment.
In the main hall, which was formerly a 500-seat conference room, a new 70 cm-high floor structure modeled after natural terrain was introduced. Multiple learning spots were created to allow students to study in any posture they choose, breaking away from the conventional classroom layout of aligned desks and chairs. The change in height and body posture helps refresh the mind and sustain engagement in learning. To address the absence of natural light, the lighting system is programmed to change color temperature throughout the day, simulating natural daylight and helping maintain students’ circadian rhythms.
In the panoramic area overlooking Gunma’s mountains, eleven movable desks called TUMOBILE—locally fabricated based on 3D data—were installed, enabling flexible learning styles beneath a softly illuminated membrane ceiling. In the adjacent gallery area, a 21-meter-wide LED screen displays videos created by the students and streams live footage of the main learning space behind its enclosed walls.
This project was realized as part of Gunma Prefecture’s initiative to establish tsukurun, a creative hub for nurturing talent equipped with digital skills and the ability to generate new value. With the introduction of the TUMO program, the prefecture aims to expand and deepen its creative education efforts. We hope this new learning environment will broaden children’s future possibilities and cultivate individuals who can apply what they learn here to the world beyond.