an ecological satellite An international urban design competition called for the re-vitalisation of a derelict railway yard in the northern part of Osaka. An opportunity to develop a visionary model for the twenty-first century city, CEA's concept saw buildings treated as living surfaces, draped as a terrain across the various building masses and programmatic elements. A second skin, an artificial topography, was created with the various layers of the building volumes treated as the contours of an imaginary landscape. The entire surface is covered in greenery, a verdant tapestry of vegetation and aquaculture - parks, gardens, agriculture and secondary food producing facades. Growing plants on vertical surfaces creates a harvestable facade and a secondary skin. The various land-use functions overlap and encase one another. For example, buildings that require large floor plates, such as shopping arcades, department stores and parking, occupy 'squat' buildings while those that require light, views and air, such as offices and apartments, occupy the higher and more slender buildings.

Client: Undisclosed Location: Osaka, Japan Partners: Terragram Pty Ltd Images: CEA Status: International Urban Design Competition, 2003