Former Kyushu Institute of Design Special Acoustic Facility: An Anechoic Lab on the Plaza's South-East Corner
The Former Kyushu Institute of Design Special Acoustic Facility (旧九州芸術工科大学音響特殊施設棟, Onkyō Tokushu Shisetsu-tō) is a three-storey reinforced concrete laboratory building completed in 1970 on Kyushu University's Ohashi Campus in Minami-ku, Fukuoka City, and it was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on March 13, 2025. The School of Design now calls it the 音響特殊棟 (Acoustics Special Building).
It covers 372 square meters and stands at the south-east corner of the square plaza known as the Fry Pan, facing west. Hisao Koyama (香山壽夫) and the institute's Department of Environmental Design designed it as a specialist building for acoustic engineering, equipped with an anechoic chamber among other rooms.
Why the Special Acoustic Facility Was Registered
The Special Acoustic Facility was listed as a registered building that has become a model of design. The Agency for Cultural Affairs explains that its elevation reverses that of the Special Image Facility, its neighbor to the north. The two stand symmetrically on either side of a linking corridor, so neither building is complete as a front on its own; together they make the east side of the plaza. That two-part composition is the heart of the Agency's assessment.
The Agency's database records the structure as "reinforced concrete, three storeys, building area 372 m², with connecting corridor." The corridor joining the pair appears to be registered with the Special Acoustic Facility rather than with the Special Image Facility, which places the axis of the symmetry on this building's side of the line.
The frame is exposed concrete, and like the other four buildings it meets the plaza at second-floor level.
Inside the Special Acoustic Facility
According to the School of Design's facilities guide, the building contains the rooms that acoustics teaching and research depend on: an anechoic chamber, a reverberation room and a recording studio. An anechoic chamber absorbs almost all sound at its walls, floor and ceiling, while a reverberation room does the opposite and lets sound ring on; both are used for acoustic measurement. The recording studio handles music recording and also hosts small concerts.
The Agency chose the third-floor anechoic chamber as one of its photographs. The Kyushu Institute of Design had an acoustic design department from its opening, and this building went up in 1970 as its specialist acoustics facility. The registration rests on the symmetry of its face, but inside, the Former Kyushu Institute of Design Special Acoustic Facility is still a set of rooms for measuring and recording sound.
The building was renovated in 2021.
Visiting the Special Acoustic Facility
The Special Acoustic Facility is an active laboratory, open only to students and staff. The School of Design's English site notes that the concrete forms of the classroom buildings can be viewed from outside. From the west side of the plaza, looking east, you can take in this building and the Special Image Facility side by side, centered on the corridor. Compare the windows and balconies of the two to see exactly what has been mirrored.
The anechoic chamber and studio can be seen only during the School of Design's annual open day, and the rooms on show vary from year to year. The open day was held in June in 2024, 2025 and 2026. Directions to the campus are on the Former Kyushu Institute of Design page.
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Q&A
- What is the Former Kyushu Institute of Design Special Acoustic Facility?
- A three-storey reinforced concrete laboratory for acoustic engineering, with an anechoic chamber, completed in 1970 on Kyushu University's Ohashi Campus in Fukuoka City. It was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property on March 13, 2025.
- What is distinctive about the Special Acoustic Facility's exterior?
- Its elevation mirrors the Special Image Facility to the north. The two stand symmetrically either side of a linking corridor and form the plaza's east side.
- Is the connecting corridor part of the Special Acoustic Facility's registration?
- The Agency's database lists the building as "three storeys, building area 372 m², with connecting corridor," which indicates the corridor is registered with this building.
- What is inside the Special Acoustic Facility?
- An anechoic chamber, a reverberation room and a recording studio, used for acoustic measurement, recording and small concerts.
- Can visitors see the Special Acoustic Facility's anechoic chamber?
- Normally no; the building is limited to students and staff, though the exterior can be seen from outside. The School of Design's annual open day is the occasion to see inside, but the rooms shown vary by year.
Basic Information
| Name | Former Kyushu Institute of Design Special Acoustic Facility (旧九州芸術工科大学音響特殊施設棟; now 音響特殊棟) |
|---|---|
| Location | 9-1 Shiobara 4-chome, Minami-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Building) / Registration No. 40-0234 |
| Year Designated | Registered March 13, 2025 |
| Quantity | 1 building |
| Dimensions | Reinforced concrete, 3 storeys, building area 372 m², with connecting corridor |
| Owner | Kyushu University (National University Corporation) |
| Public Access | Interior closed to the public (exterior viewable from outside; annual open day) |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 旧九州芸術工科大学音響特殊施設棟
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00015394
- Cultural Heritage Online: 旧九州芸術工科大学音響特殊施設棟
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/567298
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Database of National Cultural Properties: 旧九州芸術工科大学画像特殊施設棟
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/101/00015393
- Kyushu University School of Design: Education and Research Facilities (Japanese)
- https://www.design.kyushu-u.ac.jp/facilities/
- Kyushu University School of Design: About (history, Japanese)
- https://www.design.kyushu-u.ac.jp/about/
- Kyushu University School of Design, Geiko Global: Ohashi Campus Design
- https://www.gg.design.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/prospective_students/ohashi-campus-design
- Kyushu University School of Design: Open Day (Japanese)
- https://www.design.kyushu-u.ac.jp/open-campus/
Last verified: 2026.09.30
