Harch joins TOPPAN’s new PLAT UMEKITA co-creation platform in Osaka as partner

Harch will join “PLAT UMEKITA” as a co-creation partner. PLAT UMEKITA will be opened on September 6, 2024 by TOPPAN Inc., a group company of TOPPAN Holdings, as an “experience-type co-creation platform” to connect consumers and companies.

This facility will be located in the information dissemination building of “Umekita Park,” an approximately 45,000 m2 urban park. It has been developed in Umeda, Osaka, through a public-private partnership between nine companies in the Grand Green Osaka Developer JV (hereinafter referred to as “Grand Green Osaka Developer”), with Mitsubishi Estate as the representative company, CINRA, Inc. (hereinafter “CINRA”) and the Institute for Advanced Academic Agency the Graduate School of Project Design (hereinafter “the Graduate School of Project Design”) to create a facility that provides fun experiences that translate ethical, sustainable, well-being, and other values of the new era.

• PLAT UMEKITA official website: https://platumekita.com (in Japanese)

“PLAT UMEKITA” image

Logo (The “PLAT UMEKITA” name and logo are registered trademarks of TOPPAN Inc.)

The “PLAT UMEKITA Planning and Editing Office” was established by TOPPAN, CINRA, Harch, and the Graduate School of Project Design, and will disseminate the attractiveness of the urban park to people in Japan and abroad through various experience-based programs under the theme of “Ethical Entertainment (*).” In addition, the facility will be positioned as a base for the creation of new products, services, and businesses through collaboration and co-creation with developers, local residents, creators, businesses, academic organizations, and local governments, and will contribute to sustainable urban development as a company that creates social value.

Harch will utilize its expertise in ethical, sustainable, and circular economy to provide advisory services for PLAT UMEKITA projects, and to plan and produce permanent exhibitions and customary work programs.

*Ethical Entertainment = A term coined by TOPPAN that is a combination of ETHICAL and ENTERTAINMENT. It means designing and designing a company’s activities, products and services by crossing ethical concepts with enjoyable experiences, and editing and disseminating information while involving consumers in a variety of ways.

Name of the facility

Inheriting the legacy of the former freight station that supported Osaka, “the kitchen of the nation,” this facility will be a place where visitors to the park can casually “plop down” and experience information that enriches their lives. The name “PLAT UMEKITA” is derived from the idea of creating a “platform.”

Three main functions

This facility is an open space without partitions located in the center of the “large roof facility” in Umekita Park, and consists of the following three zones.

“large roof facility” in Umekita Park (courtesy of the developer, Grand Green Osaka) PLAT UMEKITA Three zones　　　　　　　　　　

1. INFO (Information Dissemination Zone)

Information about Umekita Park and Grand Green Osaka as a whole. Information on the park’s various facilities, events, and various other information will be disseminated to tourists and park users.

2. IDEA LAB. (self-produced zone)

Information dissemination of “ethical entertainment” + living lab space.
Based on IDEA LAB., TOPPAN, CINRA, Harch, and the Graduate School of Project Design, will co-create exhibitions and events with various creators that embody the concept of this space. In addition, regular workshops will be held with the aim of creating a community that will create new ways to enjoy urban parks. The latest ethical information will be disseminated, and various media will be produced in conjunction with the projects in the real space.

3. GALLERY (multipurpose zone)

A multi-purpose rental space for co-creation through exhibitions and events.
The space can be used for corporate branding, new business development, prototyping, test marketing, product/service promotion, etc. It will also support ethical entertainment practices co-created with IDEA LAB.

*The names of products and services mentioned in this news release are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
*The information in this news release is current as of the date of the announcement and is subject to change without prior notice.