Showing posts with label island city. Show all posts
Showing posts with label island city. Show all posts

Friday, August 26, 2011

Inside Grin Grin

fuk673

Grin Grin, or Gurin Gurin, or Green Green is a park and greenhouse complex on Island City, a man-made island in Hakata Bay.

fuk678

Its planned to be a city of the future, with residnetial, business, education, and leisure facilities.

fuk694

When I was there a few years ago there was no-one else there other than me

fuk696

It was designed by Toyo Ito, and while it was certainly pleasant enough I dont think it deserves all the accolades it has received.

fuk700

A previous post on Grin Grin can be found here

fuk701

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Grin Grin Park

fuk732

Sometimes written Gurin Gurin, Grin Grin Park opened in 2005 on Island City, the artificial island in Hakata bay.

fuk721

A series of connected forms, organically shaped, seem to emerge from the ground.

fuk716

The structures are concrete and steel covered in glass and in places vegetation.

fuk711

The spaces inside and under the structures contain plants of the area.

fuk708

Grin Grin was designed by Toyo Ito who is often referred to as a visionary architect. Much is made of Grin Grin's supposed "eco" qualities, but as it is on an artificial island whose construction destroyed bio-diverse wetlands, I find it hard to see.

fuk680

walkways snake up and over the structures.

entrance into the greenhouses is only 100 yen.

It was a few years ago when I visited, and maybe the growth of the vegetation has improved its appearance....

fuk689

Friday, July 8, 2011

Island Tower Sky Club

fuk661

The Island Tower Sky Club is the tallest building in Fukuoka.

fuk662

145 Meters tall with 42 floors it is an apartment building on island City, the man-made island in Hakata Bay.

fuk664

It was designed by the Takenaka Corporation and opened in 2008

fuk665

Friday, June 24, 2011

Seamark Building

fuk657

The Seamark Building is located on Island City, a man-made island in Hakata Bay.

fuk655

It houses various offices and a "Cyber University".

fuk658

It was designed by architect Kojiro Kitagawa, who I have not come across before.

fuk737

It opened in 2008.

fuk668

Friday, June 10, 2011

Infini Garden

fuk649

Infini garden is a 16 storey block of flats, or if you prefer american, apartment block, with 389 units.

In Japanese its called a Manshon, derived from the english word mansion, though it bears little resemblance to the english meaning.

fuk746

Built in 2008, its located on Island City, a man-made island in Hakata Bay, Fukuoka.

fuk650

Apartments are very popular in Japan, though I can think of nowhere worse to live.

I have asked friends who live in apartments in local towns where there are an abundance of big, empty, houses, why they dont choose a house, and most say that it is the wife who prefers the apartment as there is less housework and maintenance to do.

fuk651

Island City is part of a big urban renewal project for Fukuoka. As well as residential areas and a huge park there is a new container port and businesses with links to mainland Asia are encouraged to move here.

fuk653