How Landscape Might Influence…The Way We Harvest

Innovatively building on the company’s mission for a sustainable future for people, food and energy, the YANMAR FLYING-Y BUILDING responds to the global need to strengthen pollinator habitats in urban areas through integrating landscape and architecture. The project introduces bee hives on the landscaped rooftop gardens and a 1230 m² façade of a vertical green curtain which adds vibrant plant life back into the highly dense Umeda centre. 40% of the wall consists of native flora, supporting the bees’ collection of nectar for the non-profit organisation “Umeda Honey Bee Project”. The building supports the resilience of Osaka’s urban ecosystems within a 3km radius, by selecting specific street trees, plants and bee species to promote a harmonious natural environment that attracts urban birds and insects into the equation. This also serves as a platform to raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity and food production processes, while harvesting over 600kg of honey annually!

Additionally, “green louvers” are developed by integrating the exterior eco-louver aluminium material with vegetation in order to let natural light in while screening the interior where there is too much direct sunlight. The plants also absorb air pollutants while collecting and releasing fresh air to be circulated around the building by using eco-cylinders and floor space to facilitate natural air flow. Solar panels are installed on the rooftop, allowing a harvest of approximately 40mW of energy annually, allowing the building to meet its annual target of 55% decrease in energy consumption.

Project Info:

ARCHITECT
Arc Studio Architecture + Urbanism Pte Ltd

CLIENT
Seirei Kosan Co., Ltd

OWNER
Yanmar Co., Ltd

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Nikken Sekkei Ltd

ARCHITECT
Nikken Sekkei Ltd

CIVIL AND STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
Nikken Sekkei Ltd

MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT
Nikken Sekkei Ltd

QUANTITY SURVEYOR
Nikken Sekkei Ltd

LANDSCAPE CONTRACTOR
Takenaka Corporation, Asahi Corporation

LIGHTING DESIGNER
Nikken Sekkei Ltd

PHOTOGRAPHERS
Kiyohiko Higashide Photo Studio

BUILDER
Takenaka Corporation