In the current climate of Japan, the declining interest of cars amongst the younger generation is evident. Toyota has revised their sales strategy, leading to an integration of hundreds of dealerships. As part of these efforts, they designed a complex facility with strong community values. The approach was to take the location environment into full consideration, as well as the facility’s positioning within the prefecture, and ultimately expand their methods to attract new customers through non-automotive related aspects in hopes of creating a symbiotic relationship between visitors and sales.

In order to enhance customer engagement, and generate excitement within the community, location was key. Securing land adjacent to the new highway interchange (IC) allowed for an expansion of WEINS TOYOTA KANAGAWA’s market footprint. The generous space not only accommodated a dedicated building for new car sales but also paved the way for the introduction of "U-base Camp" — an innovative outdoor facility with a primary emphasis on used cars. This facility features a range of attractions, including camping, BBQ facilities, Japanese bathhouses, saunas, and more. These additions significantly enhance the overall appeal and functionality of the site.

The main target audience is set to be the local community with a demographic range across all ages, as well as a general focus on information responsive individuals and families from a broader area. The plan includes a large showroom and open spaces like a plaza, a dog run, and a café, fostering an inviting environment for visitors, regardless of their interest in cars. Incorporating content catering to the daily needs of nearby residents aims to enhance the area’s vibrancy and attract visitors outside the immediate community as well.

The development and construction period took approximately three years.

After an extensive planning period, the consensus was to build a complex facility that ties together all unique points of the company-Car sales, Service (maintenance factory), Outdoor lifestyle, and a Professional basketball team. In addition, we also decided to include outdoor camping/glamping accommodations as well as a restaurant business.

The most important mission was protecting our employees.

Staff members who have only worked in car sales took on new roles, with external support, we emphasized the importance of operating in-house, avoiding lay-offs, and even employees discovering new talents.

As Kanagawa Prefecture's largest river, Sagami River, being adjacent to the lot, we outlined a planting scheme that factor in the ecosystem and biodiversity of the surrounding environment.

Holding repeated discussions with residents and the local government, their opinions were taken into consideration, creating an ideal landscape for the eco-community.

While typical car dealerships have an average of 10 to 20 visitors per day, the facility received over 18,000 visitors in the first month after opening (over 600 visitors per day). Due to its popularity, it was featured in many media outlets as well as social media platforms. There have been a few cases where visitors that came to camp, decided to purchase a car after viewing the displayed vehicles. Also, by incorporating “dog” related content, which is in increasing demand, a new dog community has been formed, with visitors able to interact outside without having to enter the store.

This facility has succeeded in attracting all demographics, especially young people, which was an ongoing issue for the company. Our objective behind the name “PARK” is gradually becoming a reality, as it is providing the community a playful space to make connections and gain valuable perspective on lifestyle.