The objective of this conceptual proposal is to introduce the open urban site into the urban fabric of Osaka, which injects a lively mixed use development that uses high quality architecture as the unifying element for the disparate surrounding environment.
The scheme is designed with a massing and height sympathetic to the surrounding areas and urban context in mind. It provides a architectural approach to the development of this site, whilst providing the type of accommodation required by modern city users and occupiers.
This conceptual proposal is in response to the present site, to provide a higher quality urban and architectural design and more importantly to give something back to the City by way of more public amenity and a major public urban garden and square spaces to be enjoyed by the community.
The present site lies isolated from the commercial heart of Osaka mainly because of the existing railway that is providing a barrier to the site. The present condition of the site is very poor and does not fit within the present surrounding. The site feels like a wasteland in the heart of a commercial centre. This has become visible throughout the years by not being connected to the rest of Osaka and by the dent it has caused in the urban massing and fabric.
The change of land use in the Northern Osaka station area opens up opportunities to revitalize the existing urban fabric around the Northern Osaka station area. The proposed urban fabric must not only be an infill, that fits well within the existing fabric, but must be more, in the sense that the proposed fabric must be of a high environmental quality and radiate out beyond its boundaries. The fabric must provide a strong flexible base for commercial, institutional and cultural assets. The fabric must be open to receive and in the same time reach out to its surroundings to come to a complete integration that will offer a stimulance to other surrounding sites in the near vicinity.
The area is well connected with roads and railway stations which provide the site with the opportunity to absorb a large amount of people and to allow a high density development to take place on the site. Quality urban spaces need to be integrated with the rest of the urban fabric so that it will provide a change in character and variation in surrounding.
This site will give the opportunity to develop a proposal that is large enough to divorce motorised traffic from slow traffic and to ensure that all buildings are well served and accessible by motorised traffic without interfering with slow traffic.
Accessibility
The site is defined by the JR Osaka Station to the south with an elevated raiway track, Hankyu Umeda Station to the east with an elevated railway track, Hankyu Nakatsu Station to the North with elevated railway track and roads and on the west side an rail track on grade.
The area around the site has a regular city grid pattern which provides the site with the opportunity to connect well with the rest of Osaka. To make the site fully accessible it is proposed to place the railway track on the west side below grade in order to establish an uninterrupted crossing of motorized traffic and trains. This will open the site up for traffic and the urban massing will have a change in the future to reconnect with the site.
Public transportation
The site is provided with railway stations at three of the four sides. A site so well provided with public transportation gives it a unique situation. Next to the railway system are other public transportation means like busses and taxis etc. All these will be serving the site from grade and provide further connection to the surrounding areas. It will be important to provide integration between the transportation at grade and pedestrian level above grade.
The traffic flow between motorized and slow traffic is kept completely separate from each other. To place traffic of the same character on different levels will provide an high comfort for both vehicles and pedestrians.The vehicle routes will be on grade and have direct access to the buildings on site for servicing and emergency services. The car park facilities are made accessible from this level, from which the pedestrian level can be reached by lifts, escalators or stairs. The largest pedestrian flow will come from JR Osaka Station and will be entering the site by an extended square that will bridge between the station square and the station concourse level, providing direct access to the surrounding buildings of the proposed scheme. From the station square pedestrian routes are connecting the urban squares and green areas. The character of the station square and the square at the north part will be of the same but different in proportion and orientation. The idea for these squares is to enhance the pedestrian routes and bring scale to the environment. By making the lower floors public, a link between the area below, car park and above, working environment can be made. The combination of these different routes will provide a high level of variation which will not only enhance the urban spaces but also the public spaces of each building.
Environmental concept
A large roof is proposed over the urban spaces to provide a high comfort level to an area that can be regulated in order to adjust to the changes of the weather conditions. Fins are placed to the underside of the roof to stop direct incoming sunlight in to the urban space. The fins will reflect the sunlight and will maximize the use of natural light throughout. The green areas are placed strategically with the squares and the pedestrian routes. They enhance the environment and make a contribution to the air quality. The green area are an extension of the existing green on both sides and are now linking the two sides together.
Scale and Massing of development
The proposed massing is developed as a response to the opening in the urban fabric. The massing is trying to bring the existing massing around the site together and is providing environment to respond to by other areas in the near future, to contribute to the development. The massing shows a natural flow of building height as a response to the surrounding. The station square and other urban spaces are embraced by its surrounding buildings to set the scenery for their environment.
