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Jerde developed the design concept in collaboration with the architectural team from Obayashi Corporation. From above, the project looks like a stepped, green park surrounded by urban chaos. It crosses multiple blocks and is lush with trees, flowers, lawns, cliffs, streams, waterfalls, ponds, clusters of rocks, and outdoor terraces. Winding stone walkways, designed to mimic the natural curves and stratification sculpted by wind and water, gradually ascend eight levels to the street.

Beneath the park, a man-made canyon carves a pathway through a commercial center. This corridor connects the east and west edges of the site with existing urban circulation patterns. Rising up from the canyon floor are layers of specialty retail shops and entertainment and dining venues.

The two sides of the canyon are connected by glass bridges which, at night, become arcing tubes of light. The project totals 3.2 million square feet (297,000 square meters) on a 9.2-acre (3.7-hectare) site.

Jon Jerde, founder and chairman of The Jerde Partnership, says of the project: "Namba Parks amplifies the powerful synergy that comes when the public realm is artfully melded with commercial amenities." He says that Namba Parks is an expression of an important goal of the firm: to "blur the line between nature and the built environment."

Hilltop without the Hill

In Kawasaki, Japan, another Jerde project takes on a very different form. A new town center called "La Cittadella" is modeled after Italian hill towns. This development combines dining, shopping, cinemas, and nightclubs with 155 residential units. The project is organized into three districts that create round-the-clock activity, and is expected to rejuvenate this part of the city.

La Cittadella's developer and site owner is Kawasaki Misu Co., Ltd., builder of Japan's first cinema complex. Misu requested of Jerde a town center that would create a new image for the property and that would add "fresh energy and vigor" to the city through entertainment and culture.

Just as traditional circulation patterns in Italian hill towns cut through mountainsides in complex paths, La Cittadella's design has a cascading effect with an internal, gently sloped circulation loop that provides a "path of discovery."

This path starts at the street level and meanders past cafes, shops, and restaurants to the upper floors. Unlike many commercial environments, where traffic is drawn more easily to the ground floor than to higher ones, La Cittadella is designed to constantly draw visitors forward and upward. Adding to the ambiance of a European village are richly colored and textured terraces, bridges, and stepped gardens.

The 630,500-square-foot (58,600-square-meter) project includes a 13-screen cinema complex, a 14-story residential tower, a 250-seat below-grade amphitheater, an animated water and light show, outdoor seating at all restaurants, and parking for 500 cars.

Along the River

A third Jerde development is called "Riverwalk," in the city of Kitakyushu. The 1.6 million-square-foot (148,600-square-meter) project, developed by Muromachi Area Urban Redevelopment Association, is said to be "a new cultural heart for a city without a center."

The port city of Kitakyushu was formed in 1963 by merging five independent municipalities — Moji, Kokura, Yahata, Wakamatsu, and Tobata. Despite being the largest city on the island of Kyushu, the "new" city lacked a sense of urban cohesion. In 1997, developer FJUD and Jerde won a design competition to create a mixed-use project that would unite Kitakyushu's districts and strengthen its international identity.   >>>

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Namba Parks, designed by The Jerde Partnership, fits into a difficult site in Osaka, Japan. Photo: Hiroyuki Kawano Terraced gardens and walkways of Namba Parks. Photo: Hiroyuki Kawano Top level floor plan, Namba Parks. Photo: Hiroyuki Kawano Section through Namba Parks, with retail below, gardens above. Photo: Hiroyuki Kawano View up from the "canyon" of Namba Parks. Photo: Hiroyuki Kawano La Cittadella, in Kawasaki, Japan, is modeled after an Italian hill town. Photo: Hiroyuki Kawano Visitors enjoy retail and entertainment as they wander a circuitous pathway. Photo: Hiroyuki Kawano Level three floor plan, La Cittadella. Image: The Jerde Partnership   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.