Located at the intersection of Meiji-dori and Watanabe-dori, ONE FUKUOKA BLDG. forms the centerpiece of Fukuoka City's "Tenjin Big Bang" redevelopment initiative. The intersection has served as the city's primary transportation hub since the Meiji era (1868–1912), driving the growth of Tenjin, the commercial center of Kyushu's largest city and one of Japan's principal gateways to Asia.
The redevelopment replaces three long-standing landmarks—the Fukuoka Building, Tenjin Core Building, and Tenjin Vivre—with a single mixed-use development intended to catalyze the renewal of the surrounding district.
Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) as design architect in collaboration with Nikken Sekkei and KAJIMA DESIGN, the 146,191-square-meter project brings together offices, retail, hospitality, conference facilities, public amenities, and extensive pedestrian connections within a single urban block.
Rather than functioning solely as a commercial complex, the development extends the city's public realm through accessible indoor and outdoor spaces while integrating environmental strategies that reduce operational energy demand despite increasing the site's total floor area by approximately 60 percent.
These efforts have been recognized through LEED Gold, BELS ZEB Oriented, ZEB Ready, CASBEE New Construction S Rank, CASBEE Wellness Office S Rank, and the Five-Star DBJ Green Building Certification.
A creative intersection for urban life
The development is organized around the concept of a "creative intersection," reflecting both its prominent location and its ambition to become a place where business, culture, and everyday urban life intersect. Instead of concentrating solely on commercial functions, the project introduces a network of shared spaces that remain accessible to residents, workers, and visitors throughout the day.
An open plaza marks the corner of the block, while the Grand Lobby functions as a new entrance hall to Tenjin. The Grand Avenue recalls the former Fukuoka Building, preserving an element of collective memory within the redeveloped site.
A publicly accessible cafeteria, landscaped hotel courtyard, rooftop terrace, and the two-story Sky Lobby further extend the building's civic role. Positioned between the office and retail floors, the Sky Lobby was conceived as both an office reception area and a public gathering space that supports interaction among entrepreneurs, workers, visitors, and the wider community.
Strengthening urban connectivity
Pedestrian movement forms one of the project's fundamental planning strategies. The first floor and the second basement level connect directly to surrounding blocks, allowing the building to function as part of Tenjin's wider circulation network rather than as an isolated destination.
At the B2 level, direct connections link the development to Tenjin Station, the Tenjin underground shopping arcade, and the Inabacho-dori underground passage. These routes strengthen Fukuoka's underground pedestrian infrastructure while improving access between neighboring developments.
At street level, multiple entrances on every frontage encourage people to pass naturally through the building, reinforcing walkability across the district. This integration with public transportation also contributes to the project's environmental performance by encouraging transit-oriented mobility and reducing dependence on private vehicles.
Underground connectivity and permeable ground-floor planning support the Tenjin Big Bang redevelopment goals and the long-term sustainability of the city center.
An exterior balancing identity and performance
The architectural expression is organized around three complementary ideas: Urban Roof, Urban Grid, and Urban Oasis. The black gridded facade references the cast-iron infrastructure historically associated with railway construction, symbolizing the intersecting flows of movement that define the site while providing a consistent architectural language across the mixed-use program.
Rather than serving only as an aesthetic device, the grid establishes an ordered framework that accommodates the different requirements of offices, retail spaces, and hotel rooms while maintaining a unified appearance. At the upper levels, recessed glazing creates balconies for hotel guestrooms, allowing occupants to engage directly with the surrounding city and contributing to the distinctive roof profile that defines the skyline.
Environmental performance
Environmental performance was established as a central design objective from the earliest planning stages. The office facades employ a deep-grooved double-skin curtain wall organized within the building's structural grid.
This high-performance envelope improves thermal insulation while reducing solar heat gain and enhancing acoustic comfort within the office floors. Electric blinds housed within the cavity between the facade layers automatically respond to changing daylight conditions.
