Kobe Gakuin University Establishes New School Building at Arise Campus

Kobe Gakuin University (Chuo-ku, Nishi-ku, Kobe City) has newly constructed School Building No. 1 on its Arise Campus as part of its 60th-anniversary commemoration project. The new building, built on the site of the former Building No. 1 which was demolished in 2011 due to aging, has been reborn as a new learning base with the nickname "ARISE," selected through a public competition among students and faculty. "ARISE" is a play on words, combining the English word meaning "to stand up" or "to ascend" with the name "Arise" (有瀬). It embodies the aspirations of students who continue to challenge themselves towards the future and the university's desire for new leaps forward. It is designed as a space to foster interaction among students and with the local community, and will serve as a new symbol of Kobe Gakuin University, supporting future learning. (Photo 1) Exterior (Photo 2) 2nd Floor Open Lounge (Photo 3) Mother Moon Commons Open Terrace (Photo 4) Inclusive Rest Space ● A 3-story steel-framed building with a total floor area of 6,885 square meters. The exterior is white. Designed and constructed by Takenaka Corporation. ● The nickname is ARISE. It was chosen through a public competition among students, faculty, and staff involved in the Building No. 1 construction project. ● With the concept of "encountering unexpected discoveries," it is a building that serves as a hub for student and community interaction. ● It embodies a campus for the new era, equipped with a multi-purpose lounge and study spaces where light streams in through the windows. ● It is an energy-saving school building with glass walls on all four sides and a central atrium structure that allows a view of the entire building, maximizing the intake of natural light. ● A cafe, "Mother Moon Commons," has been established as a hub for creating interaction and vibrancy. It is designed to organically connect indoor and outdoor spaces, with outdoor terrace seating facing an artificial turf plaza. The popular Kobe-based cafe "Mother Moon Cafe," favored by young people and women, will operate here. ● An "Inclusive Rest Space," a universally accessible restroom designed with input from students and faculty of the Faculty of Rehabilitation, has been installed. ● A "Memorial Gallery" introducing the university's history has also been established on the first floor. For more details, please check here. Kobe Gakuin University Public Relations Group MAIL: koho@j.kobegakuin.ac.jp TEL: 078-974-6084