Building leasing business

Offices/stores

Kitakagaya-Chishima Building

Shibakawa Building

Shin-Shibakawa Building

Apri Koto

Aprigño

Koto Alley

Miyuki Building

Hatchobori-Chishima Building

Takaracho-Chishima Building

Commercial facilities

Chishima Garden Mall

Toyonaka complex facility

Condominium complexes

Palais Kitakagaya

Patio Kitakagaya

Parador Kitakagaya

Kamikotoen-Chishima Heights

Kamikotoen Urban House

Parados Kotoen

Maison Kamikotoen

Maison de Ville Kachidoki

HOTEL

HOTEL RESOL TRINITY OSAKA

Other

Hirabayashi Floating House

What is a “Floating House?”

The Hirabayashi Floating House was designed and constructed as part of initiatives to revitalize the land and water surface of the Hirabayashi Lumberpond, whose use as a wood lumberpond had declined dramatically in recent years. Although virtually unknown in Japan, the use of floating building as large-scale showrooms, housing, and even public facilities such as schools is spreading widely in Europe and America. We examined implementation examples of floating building first-hand, investigating their safety and durability, and experimentally constructed a house that floats on water using the Hirabayashi Lumberpond.

Reduction of production costs

The large float for the Hirabayashi Floating House measures 8 m x 12 m, and was also expensive to produce. Together with Nihon Kaiser Co., Ltd. and UD consultants, Inc., we are currently jointly developing a smaller float measuring 2.5 m x 2.5 m that is held together using metal bindings. Factory mass production will enable costs to be reduced in the future.
(Patent application submitted December 2004)

Future outlook

Since debuting at the 2003 World Water Forum “Water EXPO,” this floating house has been drawing attention from various industries. In September 2007, the “Program for the Promotion of Water Area Use”—which utilizes the Hirabayashi Lumberpond for marine leisure activities due to its location one hour from the central city area—was selected by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as a model project. High expectations are held for the conversion of the lumberpond, which is currently unused, into a marina.