ART | ‘LVMH Maison des Enfants’ Opens in Soma City, Fukushima

ART | Designed by Shigeru Ban, an architect of global renown

The LVMH Children's Art Maison Opens in Soma City, Fukushima

On July 2nd (Tuesday), the LVMH Group and Soma City, Fukushima, celebrated the grand opening of the 'LVMH Children's Art Maison,' a hub for children's emotional care, academic enhancement, character development, and artistic activities. A grand opening ceremony was held on the day of the opening, bringing together all stakeholders.

Text by KUROMIYA Yuzu

Commitment to Continued Support for Children's Futures

This initiative is part of the LVMH Group's regional community engagement in Japan, aiming to provide a space that serves as a center for the emotional care, academic improvement, character development, and artistic endeavors of children who will lead the recovery and growth of Soma City, a region devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake. The facility, built on a 1500-square-meter site owned by Soma City, will be operated by the city.

The architectural design was entrusted to Shigeru Ban, a Pritzker Prize laureate—often called the Nobel Prize of architecture—in 2014, whose work garners global attention. The building features a distinctive circular form, with vegetable shelves integrated into the interior glass walls. These living curtains, also serving an educational purpose in nutrition, create a warm and inviting space for children.

In addition to emotional care activities provided by the NPO Soma Follower Team, the Maison houses a rich collection of picture books and literature, offering read-aloud sessions for children. It will also be used for music classes organized by El Sistema Japan, an association established to foster life skills through music.

Following the earthquake, the LVMH Group has supported the reconstruction of the 'Tanohama District Community Center' in Yamada Town, Iwate Prefecture, and the recovery efforts in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, through Louis Vuitton's support for the 'Forest is the Lover of the Sea' movement. The construction of the 'LVMH Children's Art Maison' marks the realization of a support project for the three Tohoku prefectures, which suffered particularly severe damage. The Group expresses its continued hope for the further recovery of the affected regions and pledges to provide ongoing support in various forms.