STUDY ON URBAN CATALYSTFOR SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Case study of IMS/Solaria Plaza and Hotel Il Palazzo

Prin Kongsombat
1. INTRODUCTION

development are needed for analysis. Additionally for case of

1.1 Research Background and Objectives

Hotel Il Palazzo, further interview was done. Respondent in

Recently, trend of mega-event as a grand scale development1)

the interview is Mr. Taro Fujiwara who is the project manager

2)such as Olympic Game , World Expo, stadia and conventionof Hotel Il Palazzo.

are strategy for urban revitalization. These almost all started(3) Is urban catalyst a strategy for sustainable urban

implementation as "scrap and build", clearing of inhabitants

development? Last research question and objective aim

before it started development and constitutes outside city.

to assess how the urban catalyst acts as alternative andThis pattern seems to conflict sustainable development.

sustainability for urban design strategy.

Redevelopment strategy should not be the ultimate vision, but

3. LITERATURE REVIEW

moderate, achievable vision and kindle or condition other to

3.1 Urban Catalyst Concept

3)achieve similar vision . It could be alternative strategy that

Urban design for city center, instead of imitating anotherhas potential to engage with flexibility and urban dynamic.

format image of the city or inject large master plan, using

Recommending urban catalyst suits urban redevelopment

various available tools is more suitably thought of as a process

strategy. It is a tool for urban design that can act fromof arranging catalytic reactions that flexible to changes andmoderate or smaller element with incremental purpose andurgency. Urban catalyst offers modest vision, but impact

support continuous regeneration of urban fabric as well asshould be substantial and integrates existing urban fabric (Fig.1).

increases users. However, empirical studies of urban catalyst

Urban catalyst original concept was defined into 8

are unknown and less this field study. Research objectives arecharacteristics as following; (1) New element modifies theintended to clarify urban catalyst characteristics and projects

elements around it. (2) Existing elements are enhanced orin Japan, overview of the case studies as well as investigatetransformed in positive ways. (3) The catalytic reaction

how it conforms to sustainable development.

does not damage its context. (4) A positive catalytic reaction

2. RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND METHODOLOGY

requires an understanding of the context. (5) Not all catalytic(1) What is an urban catalyst? The objective attempts toreactions are the same. (6) Catalytic design is strategic. (7) A

understand urban catalyst concept and related projects that is

product better than the sum of the ingredients. (8)The catalyst

done by literature review.

can remain identifiable. These characteristics have described(2) What kind of project can be urban catalyst? Question

by investigated downtown revitalization projects in many

developed by hypothesizing that smaller element or any

cities USA, in particular Grand Avenue shopping center inelement such as temporary setting, event and other can play in

Milwaukee city in the Book of American Urban Architecture:

the role of catalyst. Questionnaire survey is used for searchingcatalysts in the design of cities .

3)

a variety of cases, afterward grouping and exploring basedon category of function, key project, permanent and temporaland emerging criteria of project to classify cases become
second objective. Respondent of questionnaire are specialists
and students related to urban, architecture, and environmental
studies. Moreover, cases of IMS/Solaria Plaza and HotelIl Palazzo are investigated on how these project impacts
surrounding area. Secondary data such as project descriptiondelivers a history, intent of project, map, and sequence of

Fig.1 conceptual diagram of different strategies

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3.2 Metaphor of Catalyst to Urban Study

distinctive architecture serve as a landmark that can improve4)

Analog of catalyst definition in chemical course to urban

image of the area. However, all of cases are not imply

study (Table 1). Finding of positive efforts of urban catalyst to

to be urban catalyst. According to considerate of projectutilize in urban development. However, scientific course anddevelopment as emerging and modification (Fig.2) showsurban study are different in its application.

that in the emerging cases might effect to natural area due to

4. QUESTIONNAIRE RESULT

they are located outside city with large scale development.

This section attempted to classify catalyst projects acquired

Furthermore such kind of suburb shopping mall are locatedfrom questionnaire survey. Total respondents have 48; divided

only for business opportunities position, not related to

to 15 experts, 14 master students and 19 undergraduate

surrounding integration.

students. Total cases of 121;in which 39 errors unspecified(2)Temporary cases (Table 3): Most of cases areplace and identical place were found.

traditional and contemporary events, which are held annually.

4.1 Classification of Projects

Commercial, art and music events are held occasional.

Cases are divided in two groups according to persistency

Temporary setting or installation can be divided to threeof project as permanent and temporary. Permanent elementcases including street vendors, Yatai (food stall) that appear atcovers on building and construction. Temporary elementnight; and container design project as pilot project. Althoughmeans setting or usage in the moment of specified time.

temporary cases can attract people, improve local benefit and(1) Permanent cases (Table 2): Although, impact of eachcatalyze social integration, impact on urban fabric change or

project contributes an increasing of users and magnetize

surrounding improvements still lack of evidences.

an investment, they also have other role in particular. For
example, multipurpose building and sport facilities with
Table 1 metaphor of catalyst
CHEMICALURBAN STUDYREMARK

Accelerate reaction A tool that speeds up an achievement - Cannot calculate rate of reaction
to goal. There are investment, design in urban process.
applications, policy and so forth.
- Cannot expect a final outcome
because urban is dynamic.
Using lower
Alternative strategy that guides to use - Conform with sustainable
activation energy.
lower investment, energy, structure, development meaning.
and processes, support collaboration
also offer positive effect and reachsame goal.
Based on formulas Based on urban context (urban- No formula or format of urban
setting).
development and planning.
- Single formula is not applicablefor all cases.
Affect by external External factors affect process and- Interruption of political, budget
factors
outcome.
and other that cause decrease
reaction.

Fig.2 types of project development and impact

Table 2 permanent cases
COMMERCIAL & RETAIL (18)Emerging:
IKEA Fukuoka / Konohamall Hashimoto
Fukuoka / AEON Mall Kashihama Fukuoka
Modification:
Daikanyama Hillside Terrace,Tokyo/
Boxtown,Fukuoka / Sunny mart,Shimanto /IMS / Solaria Plaza / Canal City / Riverwalk,
Kitakyushu / Antique Market,Surakarta ID /Bullring,Bermingham UK / Times Building,
Kyoto / Bayside Place Hakata,Fukuoka /Loft Tenjin Fukuoka / Iwataya Z-Side Tenjin
Fukuoka / Faneuil Hall,Boston US / SS
Rotterdam, NL
JR & SUBWAY STATION (12)Emerging:
Kamo Subway Station / Jiromaru Subway
Station / Chayama Subway Station

Modification:
Chihaya Station JR Kyushu/ Hakata Station / Kagoshima Chuo Station /Oita Station / Kumamoto Station / Okayama
Station / Eurostar St Pancras-King’s Cross /Eurostar Waterloo / Crossrail Great London
EDUCATION & INSTITUTE (4)Emerging:
Teriha primary school,Fukuoka / Ito Campusof Kyushu University / Medical school,Saga
University
Modification:
Hakata Primary School, Fukuoka
SPORT FACILITIES (2)Modification
Mazda Stadium,Hiroshima
Kitakyushu media dome

Table 3 temporary cases

MULTI PURPOSE & OTHER (13)Emerging:
NEXUS WORLD,Fukuoka / Kyushu National
Museum,Dazaifu / Beppu International
Convention center

EVERYDAY▲TEMPORARYSETTING▲ Nagahama
Yatai / Street
vendors> ANNUALSEASONAL● Hakata lightup walk /Shichigosan festival / Hakata
Gion Yamakasa,Fukuoka/ Hojouya Hakosaki shrine
OCCASIONAL/ Kasuya fire work festival/ moonlight watching[ ▲ Container Design
event,Ukiha / Ohori Park fire
Project][ ● Barwalk Fu kuoka / work festival,Fukuoka / Saga
Ongakusai, Head office International Balloon festival /Dontaku, Fukuoka
of Fukuoka Bank /Lighting design around
Hakata Station]

Modification:
Bigo,Genoa IT / Tokyo Skytree / Shimonoseki
Aquarium,Yamaguchi / Central Saint
Giles,London / Guggenheim Museum,Bilbao
ES / Hakata Riverain, Fukuoka / Hotel IL
pallazzo,Fukuoka / Jigokumushi atelier,Beppu/ The Shard-London Bridge / Sanbangai,
Kitakyushu]●
EVENTSOPEN SPACE & WATERFRONT (9)Modification:
Millennium Park,Chicago US / Brooklyn
Bridge Park,New York / Inner harbor
Baltimore USA / Reclamation of Ohori Park
Fukuoka / Nagasaki seaside park, Nagasaki /Highline. New York / Funai Aqua Park, Oita /Nagahama Park, Fukuoka / Jungle Park Oita]

5. CASE STUDIES (Table 4)● LondonOlympic 2012,

ANNUAL● Parade, NL

Empirical study in this research look at events in Fukuoka city
center in particular impact of new setting for retail activities
Table 4 case studies descriptions

CIRCULATION & PEDESTRIAN (7)Emerging
London Millennium Footbridge / Erasmusbrug,
Rotterdam NL

IMSSolaria Plaza

Hotel Il Palazzo

17109 (m2)1986-1989
shopping center
Tenjin,Chuo ward

19804 (m2)1986-1989
shopping center
Tenjin,Chuo ward

6015 (m2)
1987-1989
hotel & restaurant
Haruyoshi,Chuo ward

Modification
Funai Gobankai Oita / Upgrading of in Ohori
Park, Fukuoka / Lida Ringo Maniki, Lida /State Street Revitalization,Chicago US / Catstreet Tokyo ]selling spacecompletionfunction
location

EMERGING : project had developed in place where
have no usage of land, no existing of man-made
MODIFICATION : project developed in place where
have been used, existing of building or construction.

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called IMS/Solaria Plaza, and Hotel IL Palazzo as luxury

offers multipurpose activities that seemed as new type of

hotel. Reasonable selection of these as case studies due toshopping center which can attracted various interested groups

their location in city center and similar chronology. Moreover,that impels others to conform to new image of city center ,cases show difference contexts, IMS/Solaria are located infor example Tsuin Bldg, Kego Park, ACROS, Elgala Daimaru

vibrant area. While Il Palazzo as a hotel is located in inert

as well as Iwataya z-side.

5)

area, instead it changes area.

(2) Surrounding elements are enhanced in positive

5.1 IMS and Solaria Plaza,Tenjin

way. Later in 1990, Kego Park was upgraded to comply

They are an appropriate case study because both are new

Solaria Plaza, Bridge Park and Fukuhaka Deaibashi was

fashions shopping center in modernization of downtown.

created for connectivity. Fukuoka Nishitetsu Station had

Trend of development in downtown had been guided into

been upgraded combine with Mitsukoshi is a department

south area of Tenjin, however its impact seemed to be

store, and also BEST Denki was upgraded. These show the

spurring into west and east sides. In 1986-1993 the trend of

vicinity had been enhancing and transforming rather thandevelopment flow to Nakasu-Kawabata area. Later; in 1994,

destroying Furthermore, project impacts have influence to

Iwataya Z-side had emerged beside Solaria Plaza (Fig.3).

alternative choice to shop that increases pedestrian in district.

5.1.1 Role of IMS and Solaria Plaza as a Catalyst

Comparison graphs show increase of pedestrian traffic number(1) Although case of IMS/Solaria cannot confirm to havearound Shin Iwataya, Kirameki nishi Dori. On the other hand,

influenced others modification directly, new fashion building

same activity as shopping always competes each other. Somebusiness was damaged, for example pedestrian traffic number[construction started]

6)

1986

in Shopper Fukuoka, Matsuya Ladies decreased (Fg.4) .

1 IMS
2 Solaria Plaza
3 Tenjin Chuo Park

5.2 Hotel IL Palazzo, Haruyoshi

1987
4 Fukuoka City Hall rebuild

Project was intended to design a hotel combined with

1988
5 U-Tek Plaza
1989
6 Shinkin Yasuda Bldg upgrade

relaxing activities such a restaurant and bar with prominent

1990
7 upgrading of Kego Park
8 Park Bridgearchitecture. Nowadays it becomes a landmark of district and1991
9 Fukuhaka Deaibashi

influence to others.

1992
10 ACROS
11 rebuild of BEST Denki
12 Nishitetsu-Fukuoka
Station upgrading

5.2.1 Improvement of Area Image by Hotel Il Palazzo

1993
13 Elgala Daimaru rebuild

Hotel Il Palazzo is an original hotel which was intended to1994
14 Iwataya z-side

show a possibility of architecture and design to enhance

Fig.3 Area transformation

7)

image of Haruyoshi which once was a red-light district .
Composition of building and good quality of design seems
to uplift the atmosphere. Many restaurants are increasing
and improving their property to comply with changes(Fig.5). Place suits for tourists, family, woman and everyone
who want to enjoy the one hot spot of gourmet in city.
Furthermore, impact of project contributes sense of place andlocal consciousness. In present, there is association among Il
Palazzo and local enterprises who agree in the same vision
to improve their environmental and business. Recently, there
is cooperative project such as joint of business campaign
and purposed of street revitalization project called “Bourbon

Fig.4 comparative pedestrian traffic (holiday)

Fig.5 increasing of restaurants in riverfront.

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Street”. These shows Il Palazzo also plays as a catalyst for(2) Urban history layers have a sense of depth. Catalyst

social integration rather than only physical and economic

is both of new and old in the same time. Case of IMS andopportunity. However, there are also some external affects

Solaria Plaza, they were being new in one layer. Their impactthat constrain district transformation. Canal City is large-scale

might affect new other things in next layer.

shopping center and Tenjin Minami Subway Station. Both

(3) Positive outputs of urban catalyst are understood in

impacts can attract people to pass area in day times.

decade, and effect in long term. Evidence of IMS and Solaria

Impacts of Il Palazzo do not damage the existing context.

Plaza shows that Daiei and Matsuya Ladies shopping area

Impacts of Il Palazzo do not change the entire red-lightmight have affect after new business occurred. However,

district image; it only lifts up the area and other hotel to not

trend of development goes positive for local retail or Small

intensive with "love hotel". Nowadays district still haveand Medium Enterprises (SME) located in Daimyo district.

some "love hotels " with combined restaurant and bar (Fig.6).

Although, evidences of IL Palazzo showed that might affect toFurthermore, layout of building and design are corresponded

the original character of area by affecting to workers and someto composition of alleys and street pattern in district. Theseof hostel business, which was removed. In long term affect,

situations refer to Il Palazzo development attempted tothe shows positive outcomes to small retail and residents.

respond urban setting (Fig.7).

(4) Not all of urban catalyst can speed up change,
particularly in urban fabric. IMS and Solaria Plaza locatedin city center with dynamic people and investment. District
is changes following usage of people, and always improves
along population density. While Il Palazzo changes gradually.
6.2 Character of Catalyst Project in Japan
It is accepted that station, shopping center and tourist attractions
are mechanism for townscape vitality and magnetize investment.
However in Fukuoka, there are unexpected outputs from smallerscale activities and hotel a function that can contribute bustle.

Fig.6 increasing of hotels and restaurants

Furthermore power of private sector can also acts as catalyst forsocial interaction, which bring into integrated benefit in area.
6.3 Sustainable Urban Transformation
Urban catalyst has impact to new venues. However, thegoal of newcomer’s projects are typically purposed for
economic gain and lack of associated vision. Because of thissituation urban designers and planners have to be a manFig.7 accordance of layout building to urban context

catalyst to constrain and arrange new venues and existings to

6. CONCLUSION

recognize the vision. The product will be more integrative and6.1 Urban Catalyst Concepts Discussion

controlled rather than transformed undirectedly. Furthermore(1) Urban catalyst is not opportunistic. Sometime businesswe must understand how urban catalyst works effectively,

venues such as suburb shopping mall takes the advantage

because when a project is relevant to a place, it responds tofrom location to operating own business due to emerging of

all the dynamic interrelationships derived from its existing

residents or always touches train and subway station. It doesarchitectural, social, and spatial fabric.

not seem to be catalyst that influence to vicinity modification.

References

1) S, Essex., B, Chalkley. The Olympic Games: catalyst of urbanchange. Policy and Governance in Europe Research Group. 2004.
2) T. Chapin. (2004). Sports Facilities as Urban Redevelopment
Catalysts, American Planning Association. (2004).
3) W. Attoe., D. Logan. American Urban Architecture: catalysts in thedesign of cities. Berkeley: University of California Press. (1989).
4) J, Clark. The effect of Catalysts on Reaction rates. (2002)
5) 小川博和 . 福岡市天神地区の開発集積過程に関する研究 , 九州大学人間環境学府 . (2009)6) 田村馨 . 変化する「ふくお t か都心」. 西日本新聞社 (2004).
7) 柳 猛 直 . 福 岡 歴 史 探 訪 中 央 区 編 , 有 限 会 社 海 鳥 社 . (1996).
pp184-190.

In the other hand, case of Il Palazzo showed that the boldvision attempted to create an influence of architecture tochange the area. They think like catalyst, if Il Palazzo isthought like private enterprises, they set opportunistic above
everything, and standpoint of business feasibility. Then Il
Palazzo is a simple hotel and have no impacts.
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