ACROS Fukuoka Overview

• 25th Anniversary: Celebrated in 2020.
• Location: Fukuoka City, Japan.
• Purpose: Center for international cultural and information exchange.
• Space: Over 1 million square feet of multipurpose space.

Architectural Design

• Architect: Emilio Ambaz, pioneer of ecological architecture.
• Size: Nearly 100,000 square meters.
• Adjacent Park: Located next to Tenjin Central Park, the only open green space in the city center.

Design Philosophy

• Land Use: Designed to give back land to citizens through vegetated terraces.
• Agro-Urban Model: Synthesis of urban and park forms fulfilling developer and public needs.
• North Face: Elegant urban facade with a formal entrance in Fukuoka's financial district.
• South Side: Series of terrace gardens extending into the existing park.

Terrace Gardens

• Design: Stepped floor-by-floor stratification of low landscaped terraces.
• Garden Features: Gardens for meditation, relaxation, and escape from city congestion.
• Top Terrace: Grand belvedere with views of the Bay of Fukuoka and surrounding mountains.
• Reflecting Pools: Series of pools connected by jets of water creating a waterfall effect.

Environmental Impact

• Thermal Survey (2000): Demonstrated reduction in heat island effect, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions.
• Temperature Difference: 15 degrees between interior and exterior temperatures.

Vegetation Growth

• Initial Vegetation (1995): 76 varieties and 37,000 plants at inauguration.
• Current Vegetation: Grown to 120 varieties and 50,000 plants after 25 years.

Public Access and Visual Impact

• Emergence: ACROS Fukuoka appears as a lush green mountain or pyramid.
• Public Access: Open to the public with an emphasis on green urban space.

Additional Resources

• For more information, visit: Green Roofs Database and join the mailing list for updates on green roofs and walls.