The Grand Prize at the "Mecenat Award 2019" went to Takenaka Corporation's "Chōchiku-an" for its social contribution and promotion of architectural culture.

On October 18, the Corporate Mecenat Council announced the seven winning activities for the "Mecenat Award 2019." The Mecenat Award recognizes particularly outstanding corporate activities that contribute to social innovation through art and culture, marking its 29th year.

The Grand Prize was awarded to Takenaka Corporation for its social contribution and architectural culture promotion activities through the wooden modernist building "Chōchikukyō." Beyond preserving and managing this historic structure, the company has fostered community interaction and significantly contributed to cultivating local culture through a region-wide initiative.

Located at the foot of Mt. Tennozan in Oyamazaki Town, Kyoto Prefecture, Chochikukyo is the former residence of the late Koji Fujii, built in 1928. After working at Takenaka Corporation, Fujii researched "environmental engineering," blending Western styles with Japan's natural environment, pursuing the ideal form of housing in Japan. Chochikukyo is the culmination of this research, but it had stood vacant since 2000. After conducting detailed surveys, Takenaka Corporation began offering appointments for public tours and acquired the land and building in 2016. The following year, 2017, it was designated a National Important Cultural Property, attracting over 10,000 visitors annually.

Meanwhile, the "Chōchiku-an Club," composed of local residents, handles visitor operations. This collaboration between the company and the community, achieving both social contribution and the dissemination of architectural culture, was highly praised.

Other Excellence Awards included the "Kokuyo Design Award Project" (Stationery That Transcends Stationery Award), which widely solicits product designs from users and commercializes winning entries, and Japan Unisys' "Kawabata Seido Concert Program" (If You Listen Closely, It Resonates in Your Heart Award), which provides transportation for visually impaired guests from their homes to the venue and offers guidance support within the venue.

The special Agency for Cultural Affairs Director-General's Award was given to Canon's "Tsuzuri Project." This initiative creates high-definition reproductions of Japan's ancient cultural assets located both domestically and internationally, donating them to owners, temples, shrines, and local governments. Its contribution to the development of Japanese culture was recognized.
The award ceremony will be held on November 20 at Spiral Hall in Aoyama, Tokyo.