The 8 Level Rooftop Park in Osaka, Japan

Beneath the park, a canyon like curved path runs through specialty retail, entertainment and dining venues. Various kinds of restaurants are located on the sixth floor, and shops are located on the second to fifth floors. There is also an amphitheater for live shows, as well as space for small personal vegetable gardens and wagon shops.

When Osaka's baseball stadium closed its doors, it opened the door to a prime redevelopment opportunity in a new commercial district adjacent to Namba Train Station, the first stop from Kansai Airport. Given the location, owner Nankai Electric Railway asked Jerde to create a gateway that would redefine Osaka's identity. So Jerde conceived Namba Parks as a large park, a natural intervention in Osaka's dense and harsh urban condition.

“Namba Parks creates a new natural experience for Osaka that celebrates the interaction of people, culture and recreation,” explained Jon Jerde of The Jerde Partnership who developed the park.