Trends in the Adaptive Reuse of Bank Buildings in Local Cities

Since the modern era, bank buildings constructed by regional banks in Japan have served as familiar landmarks in key areas of city centers. In recent years, however, due to organizational restructuring and the spread of internet banking, many branches have been closed or consolidated, and these buildings are losing their original function. This paper investigates the status of such bank buildings for five regional banks in the Chugoku region. It identifies cases of conversion to other uses and reports their details, providing foundational data for exploring strategies to convert former bank buildings into valuable regional resources.