My 2nd Jelousy of Fukuoka, Japan : Plenty of Architectural Spots

My dear,

In these two years I have been influenced alot by the academic environment and people in my department - Architecture, Urban Design , Planning and Disaster Management- under The Faculty of Human & Environment at Kyushu University.

I realized it on last year trip with others student from different faculties and majors. Along the journey, mostly, I asked the guide about the buildings and landscapes that we passed through. The other student who was sitting next to me suddenly asked ``Tiwi, why you are so interested on buildings?``..

Well well well...hey man,  look at me now!!...It`s all because of you. You are the one who affected me, even I am interested to know more about famous architects from Japan as such Toyoo Ito, Shigeru Ban, Kengo Kuma, Arata Isozaki, etc. Guyzz, don`t ask who is that man, never ever try it ! :)

Fortunately this lovely city has alot of  interesting buildings which are designed by those famous architects. My new Thai friends, Chun and Pooh, I`ve met at the last symposium, stated the same opinion as mine `` Wouww..I love Fukuoka, many modern and interesting buildings here``. Compared to Kyoto ,where these two men staying, Fukuoka has a different ambience. And....this is my second reasons to jealous on this city.

They spent three days here for an architectural trip and I was so lucky could accompanied them visiting some places. There`s another Thai girl, Tick, from my department also joined us. Since all of them are an architect, they paid more detail attention to the buildings component which of couse took longer time than ordinary tourist. I did enjoyed the trip with these architects, tried to see the buildings from their angle of  views. Indeed, the trip was so fun  :)

Let`s start this short trip...we firstly visited Island City, an artificial island, has 400 hectare large  and was built 20 years ago. Our main destination called Grin-Grin Central Park, built within three years 2002-2005 and has three main areas : the botanical garden (designed by Toyo Ito), the ponds and the park with various amenities. Anyway, that `man` told me... he contributed a small idea in this project. Huwaaa i was really admired him that moment, but currently my feeling becomes so so ;)

The only problem, however it`s vital, of this site is lack of accessibility by the means of public transportation. There are only 5 routes of bus ( from Tenjin Youbinkyouku-mae bus stop,  210, 22N and 4-1 while from Hakata station 29-N and 29) and the train station is quite far. Therefore, not so many people come to visit this place. Hopefully in the near future the government could improves the transport facility.

Site Map

``shells`` 

The most interesting from this park, in my opinion, is the botanical garden :)  As you can see from the picture above, there are three areas similar to shell, surrounding by vegetation and strung one to another. Each of that ``shell wanna be`` covered by a glass roof.  A series of walkways  provided for the visitor to explore the top and the inside part of this gorgeous building.

Meanwhile inside of the building devided into three parts, the south block consist of  experiential learning area there are flowers and fish. In the central block can be found another learning site which are subtropical and tropical plants, flower and... butterfly, yuppp there are many big butterflies here named Oogomadara. The last is north block part called green valley, where they provided free space for sitting.

circular bench at the park which seemed people rarely coming to sit on

Love this dent shape...perhaps this part was his idea? ;) 

a view from the lower walkways

Selfie with the architects from Thailand, they are great !

Walkways at the top part of the building

Entrance of the botanical garden, central block

This artificial island is manage by the local government, an office called Urban Design Center Island City is located next to the Grin-grin. On that day, we were lucky...when we visited the design center we`ve met the vice president who also a guest lecturer in my department. He introduced about this place, shortly. We found that this island inhabited by 5000 people and in 2016 would be increase around 18 thousands people. Thats why the developer is eager to creates many pull factors which would attract the citizen to live in this area.

That nice and futuristic building is Urban Design Center of Island City (UDCIC)

Inside the design center when they had a Scandinavian Exhibition

Accidentally lecture by Ohtani Sensei, the vice president of UDCIC 

The entrance fee of the botanical garden is very cheap only 100 Yen/person and one thing that I love the most is the ice cream that they sell there, only 100 yen/piece ...lalalalalala.... what an ice cream lover. 

Display of cocoon in the central block...maybe this kid was wondering when they will turn into butterfly

Interior of the botanical garden, central block

                                                          Interior of the botanical garden, central block

Interior of the botanical garden, central block

Grippi, mascot of Grin-grin, in the green gallery, north block

Capturing the sun roof in detail..yeayy I was following those architects view  

another picture in detail based on the architects view

 In the opposite part, there is another interesting spot of GRin-Grin. We could see international exchange gardens, prototype of parks from some cities in different countries such as Korea, China, New Zaeland, etc that has a correlation as Fukuoka`s sister city. Additionally, the park furnitures are awesome. Oh...wish I could dwell around this area then will come to the park everyday for both excercise and relaxation.

That white and circular structure named wind folly

Park furniture with the instruction board on how to use it

Our next desination is NEXUS...I have no idea what kind of place it is. Luckily, Tick knows exactly where`s that place. Only three of us continued this trip since Chun had an appoinment with his friend. We walked for about 15 minutes to reach that place, exclude the time when we stopped by to grabbed a cup of hot coffee and took some pictures at Tick site project, a bamboo house, called ``Minna no Ie or House for All``. 

Bamboo House ``Minna no Ie or House for All``, Tick project

another selfie at Minna no Ie, no more Chun with us

I finally realized that NEXUS is a series of apartments, 244 units housing, which was built in 1991. It was designed by 7 famous architects, two of them are Japanese (Arata Isozaki and Osamu Ishiyama) others are non Japanese (Oscar Tusquets. Christian de Portzamparc, Marc Mac and Steven Holl).  So that, NEXUS aimed to introduced a new urban life style by offering a various of spatial condition. Each of the architect had unique idea on each designed building. Here`s some pictures in NEXUS, not that clear though.  

Architectural trip with Thailand architects was ended up at NEXUS. But guyzzz...granny still have another place to show :)

It's ACROS Fukuoka, stands for Asian CrossRoad Over the Sea-Fukuoka,  a pioneer of ecological architecture and became the landmark of this city. This building located at the city center, next to Tenjin Central Park. You guyz may take a look on the pictures...ACROS appearance was designed as a step garden. It's covered by greeneries which consist of 120 varieties and around 50 thousands plant, wouwww it's sooooo green. This garden is open for public and we only can access it from outside.

ACROS, The step garden green view

 view in autumn...kireiii

See...it's steps dear :)

At the first time when granny visited ACROS, granny said nothing but just mesmerized.  Not only the exterior but inside of the building also amazing. Since it was built to accomodate the cultural exchange between Fukuoka and other cities particularly in Asia, the building was supported with outstanding facilities. Huge atrium, music hall, international conference hall with interpreter booths, art and craft gallery, cultural information center,  cafe & restaurant, and many others. 

First floor, main entrance

there was interior design at the first floor

one of the creations made of paper

we use this thing to clean the ears, but they've turned it into nice decoration

Made from paper clip

View from the second floor

The sun roof

Anyway, about the gallery or exhibition room at the 2nd floor...perhaps anyone who has any interesting things or collections to be shown, they could use the space with no charge. There were two times in different month, granny stopped by and found  two different exhibitions. The first was in December, when granny and an Indonesian Friend named Jeng Alis was hunting part time job, we found an exhibition held by an actress/singer. She was exhibited dress and tie collections that she had wore in the past. The second exhibitions that granny attended is a photo exhibition "Asian Impression" by Muta San. He is a very nice and kindheart Japanese man that granny firstly met at Kokusai Hiroba two years ago.  

Dress and Tie Exhibition by a singer

with the singer and her beautiful green dress

Jeng Alis and her favourite blazer 

The collections

Photo exhibition by Muta San

Posed in front of Muta San's pictures was taken in Indonesia

My favorite place in ACROS is Kokusai Hiroba located at the 3rd floor of this building. This place held many events which everyone could participate freely and provides abundant information from all over the world, include a part time job information. Several weeks ago I went there to find out about part time job or so called arbaito (Japanese Language). The officer of Fukuoka International Student Support Center Counter (FISCC) told me that, mostly the vacant offered by some hotels for making bed activity...hmmm seemed my power isn't strong enough for that kind of job. So i decided not to submitted my application.

free space and plenty of books/magazines/brochures in Kokusai Hiroba

The FISCC

Oups...sorry guyz, granny was writing too much which actually only to let you know how this city has successfully made me jealous by having plenty of amazing things. Make sure to read another of granny jealousy on Fukuoka.




references
https://www.acros.or.jp/english/about/
http://openbuildings.com/buildings/island-city-central-park-grin-grin-profile-2817
http://www.oma.eu/projects/1991/nexus-world-housing
Facebook of Shinichiro Muta