OMA Completes 62,720 m² Tenjin Business Center II in Fukuoka
OMA has finished the 18-story Tenjin Business Center II in Fukuoka, Japan, adding 62,720 square meters of mixed-use office space to the city's Tenjin Big Bang initiative. Separately, Japanese architect Kengo Kuma will receive the Andrée Putman Lifetime Achievement Award in 2027. The 2026 OBEL Award recognized a Balearic social housing model that integrates local materials and circular construction, while climate events in Nepal damaged 40 kilometers of roads and numerous bridges.
OMA Delivers Tenjin Business Center II in Fukuoka
OMA New York, led by Partner Shohei Shigematsu, completed the Tenjin Business Center II in Fukuoka, Japan. This 18-story mixed-use office complex spans 62,720 square meters. It forms part of Fukuoka’s Tenjin Big Bang urban development initiative, following the 2021 completion of the initial Tenjin Business Center.
The new building expands the area’s business and startup district. It features two distinct atriums designed to extend public access into the complex. The seven-story Accelarium incorporates planted platforms and public amenities. A smaller atrium establishes a green edge along the Fukuhaku Promenade. The structure also includes a restaurant, a shopping concourse, a startup incubator, and coworking spaces.
Kengo Kuma Honored, Balearic Housing Model Recognized
Japanese architect Kengo Kuma is slated to receive the Andrée Putman Lifetime Achievement Award in 2027 at the Créateurs Design Awards. Kuma established Kengo Kuma & Associates in Tokyo in 1990, designing projects globally, including the Japan National Stadium. Separately, the 2026 OBEL Award recognized the Balearic Social Housing Model from Spain.
Developed between 2019 and 2023 by the Balearic government's housing administration, under Cris Ballester Parets and Carles Oliver Barceló, this model addresses public housing shortages by re-evaluating the entire housing delivery process.
It integrates local materials, circular construction practices, passive climate strategies, flexible domestic spaces, and new public procurement methods. The project was honored under the "Systems' Hack" theme.
Climate Events Damage Infrastructure in Nepal, Globally
Recent extreme weather events have highlighted vulnerabilities in infrastructure and settlements. In Nepal, a lower section of a Himalayan glacier collapsed on August 26, triggering an ice and rock avalanche. This caused severe flash floods along the Lhende River valley near the Nepal-Tibet border.
The event destroyed villages and damaged approximately 40 kilometers of roads, dozens of bridges, residences, and hydropower facilities within the Trishuli River basin. Globally, the 2026 wildfire season has seen over 112 million hectares burned by August 1, affecting agricultural land and infrastructure. This includes severe wildfires in northern Algeria, which closed major national highways and caused 12 deaths.
Implications for Asian Developers and Specifiers
For developers and specifiers in Asia, OMA’s Tenjin Business Center II demonstrates a design approach that integrates public spaces and green elements within commercial complexes, offering a reference for future urban infill projects in dense cities like Fukuoka.
The Balearic Social Housing Model provides a framework for Asian governments and housing authorities to assess their own public housing strategies, particularly in terms of specifying local, circular materials and implementing passive climate designs.
Furthermore, the infrastructure damage in Nepal underscores the need for resilient material specification and construction methods in regions vulnerable to climate impacts. Procurement teams should evaluate suppliers offering materials and systems designed for extreme weather conditions, confirming their performance ratings against local environmental challenges.
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