HOKULEA Inc. (Headquarters: Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, President & CEO: Masahiro Oide), a Class 1 architect's office specializing in architectural design, supervision, and design for hotels and ryokans, with the philosophy of "A resort creator group that creates world destinations," announces that the complex building in Kumoji, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture (Owner: Marimo Co., Ltd. / Construction: Uejo Kogyo Co., Ltd.), for which it has been handling architectural design and design, has reached its topping-out ceremony. We are also releasing the first rendering of this project. This project is a complex building that will become a new landmark in Okinawa, boasting a total floor area of approximately 7,319 square meters, 14 stories above ground, and a maximum height of approximately 56.8 meters. Construction has been progressing smoothly since design began around the summer of 2024, with completion scheduled for the end of February 2027.

Starting Point of Design – An architecture that co-evolves with the city, not an efficient box, in the heart of Naha

Kumoji, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture, is the central area of Naha City, adjacent to Kokusai Dori, the Prefectural Office, and the business district. A hotel once stood on the approximately 915 square meter site of this project. Inheriting the memory of that land, a 14-story complex building (Floors 1-3: dining tenants, Floors 4-14: office tenants) rises anew.

With a total floor area of approximately 7,319 square meters, there was an option to build a simple box-shaped office tower that maximized profitability. However, HOKULEA presented a different path. Precisely because it is a new architectural addition to the heart of Naha, the goal was to connect the land's history and future, creating something that would grow with the region over a long period. This became the starting point of the design.

In particular, this project is located at an intersection with the highest traffic and pedestrian flow in Okinawa. Therefore, we wanted to create a scene that would evoke surprise and delight when people passing by look up. The "pleasant surprise" of realizing such a spacious architecture is possible in the heart of Naha brings new value to the city.

Rather than a contrived novelty, the aim is to create a sense of spaciousness in the city of Naha, while being clad in a natural appearance as if it had always been there. This policy is HOKULEA's definition of this building as a landmark.

Facade Design – Architecture "Clad in Nature" and an Expression that Deepens with Age

The facade design, which embodies the design philosophy of "creating spaciousness and surprise in the city," is based on the concept of "being clad in nature." In the central area of Naha City, which aims to be an attractive subtropical garden city, we are creating a new landmark with subtropical gardens that resonates with the lush environment of the Naha City Hall and Palette Kumoji.

The goal here was not to place an artificial structure abruptly, but to create an appearance that evokes the natural strata and vitality, as if it had "sprouted from the ground" of Okinawa's vast land.

★ Exterior Wall Texture that Changes with Perspective and Distance

Different approaches were adopted for the lower and upper parts of the facade. The lower part, directly visible to pedestrians, and the upper part, seen as a distant view within the cityscape, require separate design languages.

・Lower Floors (Floors 1-3: Pedestrian Distance)

The finish is a richly textured plasterwork reminiscent of Okinawa's red soil and Ryukyu limestone. The unique colors and textures of Okinawan soil and stones are powerfully expressed on the surface through the plastering techniques of skilled artisans.

・Upper Floors (Floors 4-14: Distant View from the Cityscape)

A special painting technique using a mix of multiple colors is employed. The organic texture, reminiscent of tree trunks or weathered rock faces, impressively outlines the building under the Okinawan sky.

All of these are part of a single, seamless architectural language, a modern interpretation of Okinawa's vernacular architectural context.

★ Integrated Greening and "Aging Gracefully" with the Architecture

Integrated greening systems have been planned for the mid-level terrace on the 3rd floor and the private terraces on some office floors. HOKULEA's unique design approach involves seamlessly incorporating planting boxes as part of the building's structure and integrating advanced greening systems.

Designed to function as part of Naha's new ecosystem, these terraces will serve as relaxing spaces where office workers and visitors to the ground-floor restaurants can connect with nature while being in the heart of the city. The structure is designed so that the rhythm of Okinawa's great nature and the daily rhythms of office and dining coexist comfortably within the same building.

As time passes, the plants will grow lushly, and the exterior plasterwork and special paint will change their appearance with exposure to wind and rain. The building is designed from the outset not to be at its most beautiful upon completion, but to mature into a deeper, more flavorful expression over 5, 10, and more years, with time as an ally. HOKULEA's cherished philosophy of "aging gracefully" is boldly implemented on an urban scale in the heart of Naha.

Interior Design – Mindfulness Brought by "Contrast of Light and Shadow" and Expansion of Material Research

The "natural appearance" that emerges at the Naha intersection transforms into a dramatic experience that sharpens the senses as one moves inside the building. We have created a beautiful interplay of light and shadow to instantly shift the mindset away from the urban hustle and bustle.

★ Low-Illumination Space like a Hotel to Switch Thoughts

The office floors of this project are designed as "very bright spaces" filled with abundant natural light. For this reason, common areas such as the elevator hall on the 1st floor and the restrooms on each floor are intentionally designed with reduced illumination, creating a "calm, hotel-like atmosphere." This is intended to allow urban business people to momentarily escape the tension of their work, reflect, and smoothly switch their mindset.

★ Beauty of Shadow Created with Okinawan Red Soil

Encasing the space is a color and texture that combines warmth and solidity, inspired by the beautiful "red soil" of Okinawa. In the 1st-floor elevator hall, a dynamic rammed earth wall, as if a cross-section of the strata carved by the Okinawan earth, solemnly welcomes visitors. In the restrooms on each floor, the finishing uses sampled red soil colors, with indirect lighting beautifully highlighting the organic shadows, creating an overwhelming sense of the extraordinary.

★ Bagascrete — Expanding Material Research from Resorts to Urban Areas

Furthermore, some of the interior decorative walls use a unique material developed by HOKULEA called "Bagascrete," a plaster mixed with bagasse (sugarcane residue), a byproduct of sugarcane. Bagascrete is a material that HOKULEA has extensively researched, developed, and implemented in multiple resort hotel projects, including "JIVANA Miyako Island." In this project, the expertise gained from resort design has been extended to the urban scale of Naha.

The background to this is the waste problem that Okinawa Prefecture has faced for many years. Okinawa Prefecture generates over 180,000 tons of bagasse annually, but approximately 20,000 tons, or about 11%, is processed without being utilized. Historically, Okinawan architecture (vernacular architecture) was shaped by calculating backward from the materials of the land, such as Ryukyu limestone, red soil, plaster, and sugarcane, and the subtropical climate conditions. Bagascrete is an attempt to retranslate this traditional philosophy into contemporary architecture.

"Modern interpretation of vernacular architecture" means not simply imitating traditional appearances, but translating the unique materials and philosophy of a place into current scales, functions, and social issues. Fibers that are discarded at a rate of 20,000 tons per year in Okinawa are reborn as beautiful wall textures for offices and restaurants in the heart of Naha. The practice of a circular economy and the inheritance of Okinawan architectural culture are simultaneously achieved through this single material, Bagascrete.

Project Structure — Owner, Design Supervision, and Construction

In this project, Marimo Co., Ltd. is the owner, HOKULEA Inc. is responsible for design and supervision, and Uejo Kogyo Co., Ltd. is responsible for construction.

Marimo Co., Ltd. is a comprehensive real estate developer headquartered in Hiroshima. Founded in 1970 as a design firm, it has been involved in businesses related to housing and land for over half a century, including condominium sales, income-generating properties, urban redevelopment, and hotel businesses. In this project, Marimo leads the complex facility in the heart of Naha as the owner.

Uejo Kogyo Co., Ltd. is a general construction company headquartered in Okinawa City. Since its establishment in 1966, it has been involved in construction, civil engineering, and steel frame work in Okinawa Prefecture. As a local company with the basic philosophy of "Protecting the blue seas and blue skies of nature-rich Okinawa," it is undertaking the construction of this project.

HOKULEA Inc. is a Class 1 architect's office based in Okinawa, with the philosophy of "A resort creator group that creates world destinations." Specializing in architectural design for hotels and ryokans, it handles diverse projects both domestically and internationally. It focuses on creating spaces that leverage the vernacular characteristics of land and customs, and on researching and implementing unique materials such as bagasse (sugarcane residue).

From right: Masahiro Oide of HOKULEA, Executive Officer Sasaki of Marimo, President Uejo of Uejo Kogyo (at the ground-breaking ceremony)

Comment from Masahiro Oide, President & CEO of HOKULEA Inc.

Masahiro Oide, President & CEO of HOKULEA Inc.

As a "resort creator group that creates world destinations," we at HOKULEA have continuously grappled with the question of how to translate the unique nature and culture of a place into contemporary spaces.

This project is an epoch-making challenge, scaling up the expertise we have cultivated on the front lines of resorts to an urban architecture in Kumoji, the heart of Naha.

In limited urban sites, efficient "boxes" that prioritize profitability tend to be mass-produced. However, it would be a great waste to simply build a functional building at this important intersection, which boasts the highest traffic and pedestrian flow in Okinawa. We wanted to introduce a "pleasant surprise" at this location, offering surprise and delight to everyone passing through the urban bustle.

Our approach is not to merely imitate traditional appearances, but to skillfully incorporate the unique materials and latent values of a place in accordance with contemporary functions and social issues. This is what we believe to be "the future of Okinawan architecture."

We are confident that this new landmark will create a new landscape in Naha and become a place symbolizing Okinawa's sustainable future, not peaking at completion but maturing into a deeper, more flavorful expression over 5, 10, and more years with time as an ally.

Comment from Nobutaka Uejo, President of Uejo Kogyo Co., Ltd.

Since our establishment in 1966, our company has taken a community-rooted path as a general construction company primarily engaged in construction, civil engineering, and steel frame work in Okinawa Prefecture.

This project, a 14-story steel-framed building approximately 56.8 meters high, involves many elements where construction precision directly determines the building's appearance, such as the plasterwork on the lower floors, special painting on the upper floors, and Bagascrete for the interior. Despite being a highly challenging construction site with a high building area ratio relative to the site area, and with roads on all four sides of the building, we achieved highly precise construction by completing 100% bolt tightening in the steel frame erection. Furthermore, our entire staff and cooperating companies worked together to realize HOKULEA's design intentions on site.

The successful topping-out ceremony would not have been possible without the exceptional understanding and cooperation of the residents in Kumoji, Naha. We express our deepest gratitude as those responsible for construction for their warm support, despite the burdens on their daily lives due to construction noise and vehicle traffic. We will continue to proceed with construction, balancing safety and precision, towards completion in January 2027.

Project Overview

Project Name

M.BALANCE Naha Kenchomae

Location

Kumoji 3-chome 20-1 to 13, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture

Zoning

Commercial Zone

Primary Use

Offices, Shops

Site Area

915.33m2

Building Area

657.75m2

Total Floor Area

7,319.33m2

Building Coverage Ratio

72.54% (Legal Limit: 90%)

Floor Area Ratio

699.91% (Legal Limit: 700%)

Number of Floors

14 stories above ground

Maximum Eave Height

56.859m

Structure

Steel Structure (S造)

Leasable Area

28.44 tsubo to 165.08 tsubo

Number of Parking Spaces

40

Lower Floors (1-3)

Dining and other retail tenants

Mid to Upper Floors (4-14)

Office tenants

Start of Construction

July 2025

Scheduled Completion

End of February 2027

Opening

Undetermined

Owner

Marimo Co., Ltd.

Architectural Design

HOKULEA Inc. (MASAHIROΛPARTNERS Architectural Design Office)

Construction

Uejo Kogyo Co., Ltd.

About HOKULEA Inc.

HOKULEA Inc. is a Class 1 architect's office based in Okinawa, with the philosophy of "A resort creator group that creates world destinations," specializing in architectural design and design for hotels and ryokans. It handles a wide range of projects, including resorts, hotels, commercial buildings, breweries, and offices, both domestically and internationally. It focuses on the vernacular characteristics of land and customs, valuing perspectives, views, experiences, and values that bring people smiles. It concurrently researches and develops materials such as bagasse (sugarcane residue) and soil, and implements them in actual projects.

Company Name

HOKULEA Inc.

Representative

Masahiro Oide

Location

Green Heights Naha 209, 2-19-39 Matsuo, Naha City, Okinawa Prefecture

Established

August 1, 2023

Business Activities

Architectural design and design for hotels and ryokans

Official Website

https://hokulea.co.jp/

Contact

https://hokulea.co.jp/contact

About Marimo Co., Ltd.

Company Name

Marimo Co., Ltd.

Representatives

Chairman & CEO Makoto Fukagawa / President & CEO Masahide Tanimoto

Head Office Location

1-17-23 Kofukita, Nishi-ku, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture

Established

September 1, 1970

Business Activities

Condominium sales business, income-generating property business, financial instruments business

Official Website

https://www.marimo-ai.co.jp/

About Uejo Kogyo Co., Ltd.

Uejo Kogyo Co., Ltd. is a general construction company founded in Okinawa City in 1966. Starting with the installation of sashes and shutters, it expanded its business to steel frame construction during the period of Okinawa's reversion to Japan, and after obtaining a special construction business license in 1978, it advanced into architectural and civil engineering work. Currently, as a general construction company in Okinawa Prefecture primarily engaged in "construction, civil engineering, and steel frames," it handles a wide range of projects from public works to private buildings. Its corporate philosophy is "mutual happiness of mind and body" and "valuing people's feelings."

Company Name

Uejo Kogyo Co., Ltd.

Representative

Nobutaka Uejo

Head Office Location

1-6-10 Ikenohara, Okinawa City, Okinawa Prefecture

Established

January 1966

Business Activities

Architectural work, civil engineering work, steel structures, CTS

Official Website

https://www.uejo.co.jp/

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