A civic hall floating like a light cloud over the Noto Peninsula.

Located at the northernmost tip of the Noto Peninsula in Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, this multipurpose hall is situated on reclaimed land adjacent to Iida Port. Architect Itsuko Hasegawa realized a building inspired by "lightly drifting clouds." Having visited Suzu City before, Hasegawa became interested in bamboo flutes through a year-long series of workshops with citizens, government officials, and experts, leading her to plan a sound museum within the architecture. Nine buildings are arranged around a central plaza and hall, featuring an exhibition room showcasing 100 bamboo flutes, and themes such as the sounds of the sea, wind, and suikinkutsu (water harp). Concrete shell roofs resembling clusters of clouds drifting in the sky surround the hall, and various activities take place within this archipelago-like architecture. The cloud imagery originated from workshops with children. Amidst the black tiled roofs characteristic of the Noto Peninsula, the sea of Suzu, and the green landscape, the white architecture stands lightly. In 2024, the building remained intact even during the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, and after the disaster, it played an important role in recovery and reconstruction by hosting graduation ceremonies for affected high schools and serving as a base for providing free car rentals.

LA POLTE SUZU
・Architect : Itsuko Hasegawa(Itsuko Hasegawa Atelier）
・Location : 1-1-8 Iida-machi, Suzu City, Ishikawa Prefecture
・Use : Public facilities
・Completed : 2006

Text: Yoshinao Yamada