Exploring Fukuoka (Part 1): Let’s Discover Postmodern Architecture Together!
“Fukuoka: A Treasure City Filled with Works by Renowned Architects from Around the World.”
01
Let’s Go! Trip to Fukuoka!
In early March 2023, my classmates and I were busy packing our luggage. After three years of the Covid pandemic, we are finally granted the chance to go on a trip with our design class. Our final semester design course focused on residential design, and we referenced the Nexus World (1990) residential project in Fukuoka, Japan, designed by six architects. As an appreciation, we decided to visit Fukuoka during spring break to gain a deeper understanding of each architect’s research methods and approaches to creating living spaces.
The 1980s marked Japan’s economy bubble’s period, and the peak of postmodern architecture. During our visit to Fukuoka, we explored and visited many of these postmodern architectures. However, we also encountered various interesting, innovative, and even somewhat ”oddly strange” buildings along the trip. Through this travelogue series, we hope to share our impressions and insights from the Fukuoka architectural journey.
Why Are Foreign Architects Attracted to Fukuoka?
The 1980s was Japan’s second period of rapid economic growth since the post-war era. During this time, people began to embrace the Western concept of leisure, seeking more enjoyment in life. The government had the financial resources to invite world-renowned architects to build in Japan, aiming to enhance international co-operation and at the same time, foster national development.
On top of that, local Japanese architects, such as Arata Isozaki, actively recruited young foreign architects. Their goal was not only to gain recognition for these young architects through projects in Fukuoka but also to attract more visitors to invigorate the city.
Many of the invited architects were experimenting with integrating postmodernism into their work. During our time in Fukuoka, we encountered numerous examples of such architecture, including the Nexus World residences.
Now, let’s delve into the origins of postmodern architecture.
02
Postmodern Architecture
“Less is a Bore”
Postmodern architecture first emerged in the 1960s. At that time, a new generation of architects found modernism to be too simplistic and dull. In their rebellion against modernist architecture, postmodern architects employed humor and even irony to redefine previous architectural styles, specifically the classical architecture.
Robert Venturi’s early book, “Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture,” can be analogized as the “bible” of postmodernism.
Cover of “Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture”, Robert Venturi (1966)
In this book, Venturi sparked an unprecedented discussion within the architectural community:
“What I am talking about is a complex and contradictory architecture, one that is based on the richness and ambiguity of contemporary life experiences, especially those brought by art. I welcome the challenge and uncertainty of [architecture]. I prefer ‘mixed’ elements over ‘pure,’ ‘compromise’ over ‘clean,’ and ‘inclusion’ over ‘exclusion.’ I like visible unity rather than chaotic energy. I prefer having both, liking black and white occasionally turning gray rather than just black or white. Complex and contradictory architecture must be a cohesive whole that accommodates various elements, rather than a simple, exclusionary entity. This is something we must never forget, whether we are discussing architecture or anything else.”
Johnson. Wiley House. New Canaan
In his book, Venturi critiques Philip Johnson’s Wiley House for its use of overly simplified forms, forcefully separating private living spaces and guest entertaining areas with different materials and floors. He believes that blatant simplification results in creating dull and monotonous architecture. Simplicity = boredom.
Venturi believes that the reason modernist architecture fails to attract public affection is because architects often design using aesthetics and architectural language that the general public cannot understand. In the book “Learning from Las Vegas,” co-authored with his wife Denise Scott Brown, he mentions that what attracts the public are lively, highly decorative, and symbolic elements — much like the billboards along the roads of Las Vegas. If architecture could stand out and scream for attention like the billboards we see while driving, people would notice and understand the metaphors in architecture. Architects should learn from Las Vegas if they want to communicate with the public through their buildings.
Learning from Las Vegas Venturi and his wife embarked on a journey to Las Vegas by car. Along the way, they saw many large, eye-catching billboards. This led them to ponder what architecture needed in their era to communicate with people.
As a result, postmodern architecture often pursuit excitement, using symbolic decorations to turn buildings into prominent landmarks within cities, attracting attention in that way.
Venturi’s projects were extensive, ranging from residential homes to museums, and his designs frequently included lively decorations. He often incorporated comedic and ironic elements in his designs to encourage people to view architecture from a new perspective. Although many of his buildings were criticized as unattractive at the time, and the content of his book was questioned and even controversial, we cannot deny today that many of the points Venturi made in his book are valuable. Postmodern architecture also took the architectural academic stage in the 1980s.
Here is a summary of several techniques commonly found in postmodern architecture:
Use of various shapes and materials in construction
Reference to elements of classical architecture
Use of vibrant colors or patterned decorations both inside and outside buildings
Incorporation of humor and irony
Blending multiple architectural styles into a single work
Fragmentation of orderly architectural forms
03
Hotel as an International Symbol
After arriving in Fukuoka, at nine o’clock in the morning, we bought bread and Onigiri for breakfast at a convenience store before starting on our first day’s journey. The meeting place with our professor was the first postmodern building we encountered at that day: the Hyatt Regency Fukuoka Hotel, designed by American architect Michael Graves.
Michael Graves (1934–2015) American Architect, Designer, and Educator
Michael Graves was a member of the architectural organizations New York Five and Memphis Group. After graduating from Harvard’s architecture program in 1962, he initially focused on classical architecture. Starting in the 1970s, he started his journey towards postmodernism, experimenting with new methods to create architectures that’s distinct from classical styles.
Hyatt Regency Fukuoka Hotel | Michael Graves
Address：1 Chome-2–82 Sumiyoshi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, 812–0018, Japan
The hotel is built on a narrow strip of land between a public park and the city’s riverbank. Its colors and architectural form make it stand out, making it easy to find even if you are unfamiliar with the area. This is one of the “main character” traits of postmodern architecture.
Hyatt Regency Fukuoka, Michael Graves (1990)
The first thing we noticed upon arriving at the hotel was a massive three-pronged structure outside the entrance. It is both a structural element and a symbol. Seeing the robust pillars at the entrance immediately reminded me of the wooden structures of Japanese torii gates and shrines.
Hotel Entrance, Michael Graves (1990)
The entrance of the Japanese torii gates, symbolizing a sacred entrance to the divine. Did the entrance of the Hyatt Regency Fukuoka use this as a reference?
Japanese architect Kazuo Shinohara’s Tanikawa House (1972) also uses a three-pronged structure to support the house.
The light blue color scheme and the cylindrical columns in the background visually emphasize the placement and arrangement of structural elements. This is a common technique in postmodern architecture: using color to highlight the function of architectural elements or spaces. Unlike modernism, postmodernism frequently uses decorative architectural elements to express the diversity of the building, making it more bold and lively.
The hotel is 13 stories high, with two six-story wings. It includes 260 guest rooms, conference rooms, lounges, restaurants, shops, and a wedding chapel. The hotel lobby is magnificent, with skylights several meters high, surrounded by bookshelves resembling a public library. The dim space is illuminated by warm lighting, creating a cozy, home-like yet library-like atmosphere that showcases the diversity of the architecture.
Since we were not hotel guests, we couldn’t wander around freely. However, from the lobby to the office area, we could already fully appreciate Graves’ elegance and playfulness in his architectural design. According to our professor, from the guest room corridors, you can see the pyramid structure at the top of the hotel lobby.
The guest room corridors of the Hyatt Regency Fukuoka offer views of the pyramid structure. Perhaps the use of the pyramid was meant to emulate the sacred symbolism of the ancient Egyptian pyramids?
Walking further into the lobby leads to the office area. A grand pair of golden staircases come into view, reminds us of classical architecture. Classical architecture typically achieves visual symmetry in both plan and elevation. However, here Graves uses vibrant colors, asymmetrical plans, and massive architectural elements to distinctly showcase the postmodern style, drawing a clear line from classical architecture.
The floor plan of the hotel reveals the central axis characteristic of classical architecture, but Michael Graves deliberately made it asymmetrical.
The golden staircases seem to be prime locations for wedding photos and fashion shows. Bathed in sunlight from the skylights, they shine even more brilliantly.
Golden Double Staircase at Office Section of Hyatt Regency Fukuoka, Michael Graves （1990）
Classical architecture also uses double spiral staircases to achieve architectural symmetry, as seen in the Double Spiral Staircase of Château de Chambord, Loire, France by Palladio (1547).
The surrounding offices receive ample light from the skylights above, making them suitable for work.
Graves’ firm also designed the hotel’s furniture and interior layout.
After touring the lobby, it was clear that Michael Graves’ hotel was different from ordinary hotels. Not only did he use unusual colors and geometric shapes on the surface, but he also boldly combined hotel offices and guest lounges into one large space. This is indeed freer and more lively compared to many modernist buildings with clearly defined programs.
Hotel II Palazzo | Aldo Rossi （1989）
Address：3-chōme-13–1 Haruyoshi, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka, 810–0003, Japan
In the afternoon, our group strolled around Hakata Central City, taking photos and exclaiming at the city’s fresh sights. As we walked to the Naka River near Hakata, our professor pointed to a building on the opposite bank with Italian pink columns and green beams, a boxy structure that stood out from the surrounding architecture:
“Look, that’s Aldo Rossi’s Hotel Il Palazzo. It’s the second postmodern building we’ll see today.”
Facing us from across the river was Hotel Il Palazzo by Aldo Rossi (1989)
Aldo Rossi (1931–1997), a master Italian architect and a key figure in postmodern architecture.
It is said that Hotel Il Palazzo was Japan’s first boutique hotel. During the bubble economy, the Japanese government spent a significant amount of money to invite the Italian master Aldo Rossi to design this hotel intended to accommodate visitors to southern Fukuoka. On its opening day, Hotel Il Palazzo symbolized a new era for Japan, blending Eastern and Western architectural standards.
The hotel sits on a massive base. Rossi said he hoped the area around the hotel would become a new piazza, a common type of public space in Italy.
Walking up the steps to Hotel Il Palazzo leads to what Rossi called the piazza.
Unfortunately, in the spring of 2023, the hotel was under renovation, so we couldn’t go inside to visit. We could only admire the impressive façade from the outside. The building’s façade is strikingly simple, built with columns and beams. The columns are made of amber-colored Iranian limestone, and the beams are oxidized copper, giving them a green color.
Hotel Il Palazzo: Detailed Facade and Section Diagram of Column and Beam Structure
It’s as if Rossi is asking everyone: What do you think the function of the columns and beams is?
Is it the structures, supporting the building?
Is it the decorations, attracting everyone’s attention?
Is it the symbolism, proclaiming the building’s status and role in the city?
I believe Rossi wants to tell us: the answer can be all of these. Isn’t this the diversity in architecture that Venturi mentioned in his book?
In most buildings, the facade primarily serves a structural purpose or connects with the outside through windows. But here, the main facade facing the river has no windows, and the column and beam structure supports only the weight of the facade rather than the entire building. From this perspective, Rossi sees the building’s facade more as a tool for communicating with the public, rather than merely fulfilling a physical function.
We walked past a nearby clock tower, which reportedly houses a small studio.
Original Concept
In addition to referencing the piazzas of his hometown in Italy, Rossi incorporated elements from Parisian Haussmann architecture and the architecture of Kyoto’s Nishi Hongan-ji Temple. Blending various historical architectural elements into a new style is undeniably a hallmark of postmodernism.
Hotel Il Palazzo Ground Floor Restaurant Interior
Moreover, the spaces protruding from the hotel’s four sides were designed as bars and social venues reminiscent of New York’s Studio 54. In 1977, the American architectural firm Bromley Caldari designed Studio 54 in New York, using dynamic lighting and decorative architectural elements.
Studio 54 New York, Bar and Nightclub, Bromley Caldari (1977)
In addition to referencing Studio 54, Rossi was also influenced by the Memphis Milano design movement in Milan.
In the early 1980s, Ettore Sottsass led a group of Italian architects and designers to form Memphis Milano. They believed that the minimalist designs of modernism in the 1960s and 1970s were too dull. Thus, they began incorporating decorative elements disliked by modernists to create fun and lively designs as a challenge and critique. They boldly combined bright geometric shapes, lines, and colors to design furniture, patterns, ceramics, and other decorative items. The Memphis Milano design movement clearly expressed the aesthetics and spirit of postmodernism.
Room view of part of a Memphis-Milano design collection, 2010. Photographer: Dennis Zanone. The room’s furniture is all designed by Memphis Milano designers.
Their designs often included Italian terrazzo. The furniture shapes were unusual, using asymmetrical forms and vibrant color combinations. This influence is evident in the lobby of Rossi’s hotel.
Hotel Il Palazzo Lobby, which blends the wooden lattice structures of Japanese architecture, Italian terrazzo, and the design style of Memphis Milano.
Discussion and Thoughts
For Japanese people in the 1980s, the Italian style embodied in Hotel Il Palazzo must have felt very fresh. As a symbol of Japan’s internationalization, it was perhaps fitting.
However, seeing this architecture and its facilities today, we might wonder if its style is too Western for a hotel in Japan?
After renovations by Uchida Architects, Hotel Il Palazzo Lounge (2023)
If Rossi’s intention was to integrate traditional Japanese architecture into a Western hotel, why did he specifically reference elements from the temple architecture of Nishi Hongan-ji? Was it to create a sacred symbol? I ponder the impact of symbolism in postmodern architecture. When a building becomes a landmark, does it have a positive or negative influence on the city? Although the surrounding environment, including the riverbank, significantly influenced the hotel’s design, I believe that Hotel Il Palazzo’s image slightly contrasts with the surrounding Japanese buildings (especially when viewed from across the river at the first sight).
Another point worth discussing is Rossi’s approach to the relationship and proportion between buildings and people. Rossi once designed a cemetery in Italy that was bewildering. The building had no roof, floor, windows, or doors, only a large shell with several openings. Some openings were for light, some for views or passage, and some even for storing ashes. Many visitors found the building depressing, even ugly, but others praised it, saying Rossi’s architecture successfully made people physically confront the concepts of death and emptiness.
San Cataldo Cemetery, Aldo Rossi (1971), when a building completely abandons functionality for humans and becomes purely symbolic, is it still architecture?
In contrast, traditional modernist architecture places great emphasis on the proportion between buildings and people. For example, Le Corbusier used his own research on human proportions, Le Modulor, to design buildings, ensuring the spaces were closely aligned with human activity rhythms.
Le Corbusier’s architecture revolves around the proportions he researched with Le Modulor.
Facing Hotel Il Palazzo, it doesn’t feel as empty as that cemetery but instead gives visitors the illusion of stepping into a sacred realm. This might be due to the building’s location and the proportions mentioned earlier. Visitors must climb stairs to see the full view of the hotel from Rossi’s piazza. The main façade of the hotel has no windows, only columns and beams. Therefore, it feels like a work of art, a meticulously carved, symbol-laden sculpture from Italy.
04
It’s Party Time!
CANAL CITY HAKATA | Jon Jerde (1996)
Address：1 Chome-2 Sumiyoshi, Hakata Ward, Fukuoka, 812–0018, Japan 1
As we crossed the pedestrian bridge over the Central River, we came across one of the largest and most popular shopping malls in Hakata: Canal City Hakata
In the early 1980s, Fukuoka lacked large public spaces and community areas, which led to a sparse population. American mall architect Jon Jerde decided to create a vibrant shopping center beside the central canal of Hakata.
Canal City Hakata, photographed in March 2023, bears a resemblance to traditional Japanese lanterns.
Hakata Port is a crucial trading hub between Japan and East Asia. The vast vacant land beside the central canal was originally a clothing factory, but it had been abandoned for years after its demolition. The mall was named Canal City due to its riverside location.
Site Selection for Canal City Hakata
Before and After the Construction of Canal City Hakata
The place feels like a lively amusement park. The bright red semicircular corridors surround a water stage.
Early Canal City Hakata plaza resembled an amphitheater for circus performances.
Like Venturi, Jerde was heavily influenced by the iconic streets of Las Vegas. His architecture thus became as lively as an amusement park.
Fremont Street in Las Vegas, photographed by Sylvain Sonnet
Jerde incorporated natural elements into the shopping mall. The curved corridors seem to simulate cliffs, and a glance down reveals a pond fed by the central river.
Greenery and central river water also introduced into the mall, creating a fresh and open space that was rare in the 1980s. Photo from Jon Jerde’s official website
When we visited, the colors of the mall were not as vibrant as in photos taken at its opening, nor was it as crowded. However, it was easy to imagine the lively atmosphere of the mall. The open shopping corridors and the surrounding greenery uplifted our spirits.
Canal City Hakata, photographed in March 2023, features regular musical fountain shows.
It’s no wonder Jon Jerde was compared to Disney of American shopping centers. His malls broke the mold of typical buildings with four walls and injected “magic” into the space, boosting the central area’s popularity in Fukuoka during the 1980s.
05.
Postscript
As we left Jerde’s “amusement park,” it was almost dinner time. After a long day, we stumbled upon a Japanese tonkatsu restaurant. Enjoying our delicious dinner, we eagerly discussed all we had seen throughout the day.
From Michael Graves’ works, we learned how humor could cleverly combine and satirize the monotonous forms of classical and modernist architecture. Aldo Rossi’s sacred hotel design from Italy prompted us to think about the relationship between architecture, the city, and people. Finally, Jon Jerde’s playful mall design from America showcased how various activities could happen simultaneously in one place, even incorporating an important city river into the building’s character.
Each work has become an important landmark in Fukuoka, reflecting each architect’s desire for people to enjoy the pleasures of contemporary life in one place. The sparks from the clash of Eastern and Western cultures give Fukuoka its unique vibrancy.
What new architectural encounters will tomorrow bring?
Special Thanks:
My friends and professor who accompanied me on the 2023 Fukuoka trip.
Image Credits:
From the internet: 1–7, 9–10, 12, 15, 17–22, 24–33, 35–39
From the author: 8, 11, 13–14, 16, 23, 34, 40–41
Fukuoka:
福岡建築ファウンデーション (no date) newfaf. Available at: https://www.fafnpo.jp/enmap (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
About the Author
Xiaoyu (shortened to Yu) currently resides in Canada, experiencing moments of excitement and confusion in the architectural field. She enjoys reading and analyzing the stories and theories behind various designs. After graduating with a degree in architecture, she hopes to share her own stories with others to explore her interests and the meaning of design.
Translator: J
References：
Venturi, R. (1966) Complexity and contradiction in architecture. New York, Chicago: The Museum of Modern Art.
Venturi, R., Brown, D.S. and Izenour, S. (1972) Learning from Las Vegas. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
McLaughlin, K. (2023) Postmodern architecture: Everything you need to know, Architectural Digest. Available at: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/postmodern-architecture-101 (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu’s Architecture Wonderland, Visit Fukuoka — Fukuoka Prefecture Official Travel Guide. Available at: https://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/en/articles/architecture (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
Wainwright, O. (2018) Robert Venturi: The bad-taste architect who took a sledgehammer to modernism, The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/sep/20/robert-venturi-the-bad-taste-architect-who-took-a-sledgehammer-to-modernism (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
Hyatt Regency Fukuoka
Downey, T. (2006) In Japan, a time capsule of modern design, The New York Times. Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/24/travel/24culture.html (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
Graves, M. (2015) Hyatt Regency Fukuoka, Behance. Available at: https://www.behance.net/gallery/25437921/Hyatt-Regency-Fukuoka (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
AG Architects (2019) Stories of the staircase: A journey through stairways’ role in architecture, AGi Architects Blog. Available at: https://www.agi-architects.com/blog/en/stories-of-the-staircase-a-journey-through-stairways-in-architecture/ (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
Hotel Il Palazzo
Aldo Rossi, Morris Adjmi Architects, NACASA & Partners Inc. · Il Palazzo Hotel (2017) Divisare. Available at: https://divisare.com/projects/335753-aldo-rossi-morris-adjmi-architects-nacasa-partners-inc-il-palazzo-hotel (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
Kawecki, J. (2023) Aldo Rossi’s Hotel IL Palazzo in Japan gets 21st Century makeover, wallpaper.com. Available at: https://www.wallpaper.com/travel/hotel-il-palazzo-aldo-rossi-renovation-japan (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
Leung, E. and Cheng, N. (2023) The redesign of Hotel IL Palazzo (Japan’s first design hotel) intelligently conceived by Shigeru Uchida and Italian architect Aldo Rossi, makes its Grand Debut, SPHERE. Available at: https://sphere-art.com/en/life/386/The-Redesign-of-Hotel-Il-Palazzo-Japan’s-First-Design-Hotel-Intelligently-Conceived-by-Shigeru-Uchida-and-Italian-Architect-Aldo-Rossi-Makes-Its-Grand-Debut (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
Morris Adjmi Architects (no date) Il Palazzo | Morris Adjmi Architects. Available at: https://ma.com/il-palazzo.html (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
What is Memphis design style and why it is back (2024) Hommés Studio | Modern Interior Design. Available at: https://hommes.studio/journal/what-is-memphis-design-style/ (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
Sveiven, M. (2010) Architecture classics: San Cataldo cemetery / Aldo Rossi, ArchDaily. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/95400/ad-classics-san-cataldo-cemetery-aldo-rossi (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
CANAL CITY
Betsky, A. (2019) Save the shopping mall, Architect Magazine. Available at: https://www.architectmagazine.com/design/culture/save-the-shopping-mall_o (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
Jerde, J. (no date) Canal City Hakata, JERDE. Available at: https://www.jerde.com/projects/8045/canal-city-hakata (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
Canal City — A Complete Guide to Fukuoka’s Architecture Marvel (2023) Yen Travels Japan — Looking Through the Windows of History. Available at: https://yentravelsjapan.com/canal-city/ (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
Keegan, E. (2015) Jon Jerde and the making of Places | Architect Magazine, Architect Magazine. Available at: https://www.architectmagazine.com/design/jon-jerde-and-the-making-of-places_o (Accessed: 14 March 2024).
Wainwright, O. (2015) All hail Jon Jerde, the walt disney of American Shopping Malls, The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/architecture-design-blog/2015/feb/13/jon-jerde-the-walt-disney-of-american-shopping-malls (Accessed: 16 March 2024).