Nagoya University unveils Common Nexus innovation hub

Tetsuo Kobori Architects has completed Common Nexus (ComoNe), a new innovation and knowledge hub located at the Higashiyama campus of Nagoya University. Promoted by the Tokai National Higher Education and Research System, which includes both Nagoya and Gifu universities, the project was selected through a 2021 design competition.

The facility is designed to foster interaction between the academic community and the general public, including students, researchers, businesses, and artists. The architecture features a low-profile volume integrated into the existing topography, with much of its functional space located below ground level. A defining feature is its concave green roof, which serves as an accessible public plaza and connects directly to the local subway system.

The building is situated near the historic Toyoda Auditorium, designed by Fumihiko Maki in 1960. The design by Kobori Architects seeks to preserve and enhance the visual relationship between the campus landscape, the existing lawns, and the surrounding city of Nagoya.