Umekita Phase 2, a 550,000-square-meter complex on the nine-hectare site of the former Osaka Station North Area Freight Yard, integrates a 4.5-hectare urban park with 4.6 hectares of private land. Led by the local government, the development connects directly to JR Osaka Station and its surrounding districts. Grand Green Osaka will open in phases through 2027.

Designed with GGN, the plan features an integrated public park whose sculpted embankments blur boundaries between parkland and private property, fostering continuity and activity. Grand Green Osaka is Japan’s first mixed-use development with urban parks to achieve LEED ND Gold and SITES Gold pre-certification.

Buildings, ranging from mixed-use towers to low-rise facilities, share square floor plans and are arranged cohesively around the park. Varied angles and stacked volumes create layers of green space and activity.

By merging public space with urban programs, the project expands the idea of a city park and fosters “Osaka Midori Life,” a place for shared experiences and everyday gathering. The Grand Green Osaka model aims to guide future large-scale mixed-use development.

Three cores as an urban framework
Embankments connect the north and south zones of the site, shaping elevation changes and defining three core spaces: the Great Lawn, a multipurpose green in South Park facing JR Osaka Station; Step Plaza, a circulation hub integrating pedestrian and vehicular movement; and Umekita Grove, North Park’s ecological zone linking to Shin Satoyama and Naka Shizen-no-Mori Park.

South Park serves as an urban oasis defined by its active Great Lawn, water plaza, and amphitheater-like steps. Water features alternate between playful jets and reflective pools, while landscaped embankments provide shaded seating and a communal atmosphere. The space supports daily leisure and large events alike, establishing a dynamic civic stage.

A symbolic aerial promenade
The 350-meter-long "Inspiration Path" is an elevated promenade linking South and North Parks. Rising four meters above ground, it weaves through trees and across canopies and embankments, offering a curated sequence of park and city views. Its gold-toned, outward-tilted railings reflect shifting light and shadow, enlivening the walk.

Connecting parks and streets

Streets function as extensions of the landscape. Along the east–west corridor, a 90-meter run of stone benches links roadway and park, creating a social rhythm of seeing and being seen. Overhead, the Inspiration Path bridges across, reinforcing the seamless connection of infrastructure, park, and activity.

Gate lantern

At the park’s southern entrance, the Gate Lantern marks a key threshold. The landmark structure features a 20-meter-wide suspended spiral staircase beneath a sloped roof. Serving as both gateway and experience, it links ground-level activity with the elevated Inspiration Path.

North Park and dynamic topography

Opening in 2027, North Park emphasizes nature and multidimensional landscape design. Stone walls, waterfalls, and ponds are integrated into embankments where water cascades and reflects light. Seasonal plantings, especially deciduous trees, create an ever-changing environment that peaks in autumn with vibrant color.

Underground museum

The 3,500-square-meter VS Museum, largely underground, preserves park surface while offering immersive cultural spaces. Above ground, glass and concrete volumes signal its presence; below, skylights and filtered daylight from the future waterfall illuminate interior galleries. A bridge spanning the subterranean foyer connects exhibition areas, park, and street.

Public spaces and built form

Buildings range from super-tall towers to single-story park structures, all based on square plans with no defined “rear.” Volumes are oriented and stacked to create diverse open spaces between them, dissolving boundaries between built form and parkland. The result is an interconnected urban landscape balancing density, greenery, and social life.

Spiraling greenery and mixed-use innovation

The North Building contains a collaborative innovation hub and a lifestyle hotel. Stacked, terraced volumes incorporate rooftop gardens, piloti spaces, and atria that merge interior and exterior. Greenery flows vertically, blurring boundaries between building and park. An upper floor houses a boutique hotel that weaves Osaka’s cultural identity into its design, creating a locally rooted hospitality experience.

Sustainability and energy systems

Grand Green Osaka features Japan’s first large-scale aquifer thermal energy storage system, which stores seasonal waste heat in underground gravel layers for efficient heating and cooling. Combined with sewer-heat recovery, cogeneration, and district heating, the system lowers energy demand and helps mitigate urban heat-island effects.

The project targets a 35-percent reduction in carbon emissions—equivalent to the annual carbon absorption of 9,700 hectares of forest, roughly 2,100 times the area of Umekita Park.