The Learning Center in Building No. 6 of Tosho Gakuen Educational Corporation is the fifth phase of the campus master plan formulated by the Tosho Gakuen Campus Study Committee in 1998. In this fifth phase of construction, Building no.6 located in the center of the campus, was positioned as the core facility for cultural activities and communication on the campus, and was developed as a “Learning Center” that can be shared by the three schools of Toshima Gakuin High School, Showa Railway High School, and Tokyo College of Transport Studies.

The Learning Center is located on a triangular site surrounded by roads and includes a lecture hall (500 seats), a library, a railway simulator room, and a storage area for the old Marunouchi Line cars that are used as teaching materials. The volume above ground area is necessarily limited by the setback regulation from road width so “a huge triangular mansard roof with reinforced concrete walls and steel frames” was considered. The library is located in the lower part of the building.

The parabolic shape that characterizes the exterior creates a dynamic opening in the wall, visually connecting the library to the street. The custom-made aluminum extrusion profiles covering the exterior walls have also a parabolic cross-section. This facade, with its horizontal layers of light and shadow, is a reminiscent of the accumulated history of the school.

The hall on the upper floor is compact in plan, but the arc-shaped layout provides a good field of view and a sense of presence, allowing to accommodate a variety of school events. The hall’s design is also characterized by the custom-made FRP acoustic panels attached to the walls. These panels diffuse the reverberation sound and make the sound energy distribution uniform. As a result, the sound clarity is secured, which is suitable not only for lectures but also for piano, light music and theatrical use.