Ohori Park is located in the city of Fukuoka in southern Japan. The man-made lake adjacent to the project was once a part of the old moat system that protected Fukuoka Castle. The lake is now the center piece of the park and a 2 kilometer walking/jogging path is utilized by runners, bicycle riders and families. The privilege of building on this historic site was won through a design competition sponsored by the park authority.

The design team utilized thoughtful site placement, massing and materials to blend the project into the park. The building was placed specifically to allow for the preservation of all adjacent trees and special care was taken during construction to preserve as much existing vegetation as possible. The building was designed with a horizontal composition in order to highlight the surrounding forest and to minimize the building’s visual impact. The use of FSC certified cedar and cast concrete also help the project blend into its natural setting. The linear plan allows for maximum connections from the interior spaces to the lake and park.

In order to reduce heat gain and emphasize the building’s horizontal composition a modern interpretation of a sunshade called a Sudare was attached to the deep overhang over the southwest façade. Typically made of bamboo, this Sudare was made of a composite material of recycled wood and plastic. This is the first LEED NC commercial retail project in Japan and many of the sustainable features are explained in subsequent parts of this presentation.

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