International College for Postgraduate Buddhist Studies is a graduate school specifically for students who wish to pursue research in Buddhism. The size of the student body merely consists of 20 students who are enrolled in a five-year Master/PhD program. In this sense, the school functions more as a research laboratory rather than a typical college. The new campus site is planned on the former estate of the last Shogunate Yoshinobu Tokugawa. The rich greenery of the estate is still present on the site, especially symbolized by a large Ginko tree on the eastern corner that has existed since Yoshinobu’s time. Taking advantage of this existing greenery and the steep topography of the site, Maki and Associates designed six small buildings that range from three to four stories in height. Such dispersed site planning allows for the design of courtyards and semi-outdoor spaces around the buildings and creates a similar experience to being in the woods. It is hoped that the new campus, surrounded by courtyards and woods, fosters a serene and intimate environment appropriate for learning and research.

Location：

Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Completion Date：

2010

Building Type：

College, Dormitory

Structural System：

Reinforced Concrete, Steel（Entrance)

Number of Floors：

1 Basement + 3 Stories

Site Area：

9,103.08m²

Building Area：

2,149.12m²

Total Floor Area：

6,365.21m²

Structural Engineer：

Takenaka Corporation

Mechanical / Electrical Engineer：

Takenaka Corporation