Working together to enable co-creation

Since its establishment in 1898, Takenaka Corporation has been involved in numerous architectural landmarks and has played a major role in social development. Employing more than 2,000 first class architects, most of its projects encompass both design and build, and its aim is to create buildings that are not only relevant for today but will also support a sustainable future.

As part of its effort to reform the way people work, Takenaka Corporation implemented a plan designed to create opportunities for innovation. To test these ideas for innovation, it began with a project to renovate its own head office building, and Fujitsu participated in the project right from the beginning.

Fujitsu began by working on the vision and concept that Takenaka was aiming for. Its program was based on creating a process-driven ethos that would facilitate future practices, such as building suitable workplaces and creating the mind change that would help Takenaka meet the challenges of innovation.

Takenaka and Fujitsu agreed that it is not only important to change the mindset by thinking, testing and implementing concepts, but it is also necessary to have people who can lead the planning and management.

In order to train people capable of taking on leading design roles and able to create design programs, workshops and events, Takenaka engineers held their own workshops where they emphasized the requirements and opportunities of this approach.

To effectively and meaningfully utilize co-creation, it was also necessary to create a manual for the operational areas and to achieve this, Fujitsu supported the Takenaka management system from a variety of perspectives.

Over a one-year period, Fujitsu provided know-how for the effective use of ideation tools to support innovation activities. By providing the know-how for collaborative creativity in different scenarios, it was able to help Takenaka develop human resources.

Since its opening in December 2018, Fujitsu has provided operational support for the project as an advisory service. To promote open innovation that transcends the usual way in which the construction industry operates, Fujitsu has created and implemented opportunities for cross-industry collaboration. Through these activities, it has been able to pinpoint new values and take on new challenges.

Initially, most of the ideas coming from the people in charge were based on Fujitsu advice
but gradually, the amount of advice generated internally by Hiroki Itō, Group Manager, First Design Department, Tokyo Head Office, and other leaders has increased, creating a forum for lively discussions.

Fujitsu also implemented a strategic workshop to encourage employees to think about how future innovations might be achieved. Each idea is analyzed before the next steps are considered and implemented. This is proof that the culture of repeating practice has taken root

Through its support and work with Takenaka over the last two years, Fujitsu has strengthened the ‘power to create the future’ ideology for customers and started to develop this as a service.

At times, Takenaka faces difficulties in continuing to innovate, but as it has investigated a variety of processes such as repeated hypotheses and verifications, the ability to change itself has spread. For Takenaka, this co-creation approach is supporting its vision of creating the reality of a sustainable future, enabling it to formulate the shape of a new kind of construction industry.