The area north of JR Osaka Station, which has seen significant activity since the opening of Grand Front Osaka in 2013, will undergo a further transformation next autumn. Nine development companies are joining forces for VS., with the Total Media Development Institute and Takuya Nomura Office responsible for its operation. At the press conference, Kenichiro Yamamura and Takuya Nomura (pictured below), representatives of these two companies, provided explanations to a large gathering of media personnel.

Drawing inspiration from the fact that the Umekita area was once a marshalling yard for freight trains, the official name VS. signifies a Station for realizing Vision. It is also defined by the letter S, encompassing Studio, Stage, and Society. Furthermore, as the abbreviation VS. suggests Versus, it carries the meaning of creating new value by juxtaposing diverse elements such as fashion and traditional crafts, or food and media art.

VS. is being constructed in the intermediate section connecting the northern and southern parts of Umeda. To harmonize with the verdant landscape of "Umekita Park," the building has been intentionally designed to be low-rise. Uniquely, the majority of the facility is situated underground. Studio A, which emerges above ground, boasts a ceiling height of 15 meters, capable of accommodating large-scale exhibitions and various audiovisual performances.

It also features Studios B and C, which can be connected for diverse applications. The foyer linking these three studios can accommodate large parties and receptions, with a total area of 1,400 square meters. The portion that emerges above ground will house a cafe of an entirely new concept, rather than an existing well-known coffee chain, which is also something to look forward to.

The cafe will be operated by Fidia, a startup founded in 2005. The company's representative, Takeshi Mori, took the stage. Under the concept of "Rohe," inspired by architect Mies van der Rohe, the cafe will offer world-class, award-winning coffee during the day and serve wines made from Arita mikan (mandarin oranges) as a bar in the evening. The original food offerings are also anticipated.

Positioned as a cultural apparatus integrating facilities, players, and curation, VS. aims to be a hub for new ideas and visions, disseminating technology, liberal arts, and diverse domestic and international traditional cultures. Kenjiro Tanbara, a first-generation fellow of the Masayoshi Son Foundation and a curator who graduated from Harvard University, was introduced as a key figure in this endeavor.

Nikken Sekkei handled the architectural design, with Tadao Ando Architect & Associates overseeing the design supervision. Tadao Ando himself, born and raised in Osaka, took the stage to provide further details on this large-scale project. He began with a self-deprecating remark, "Osaka lacks culture, and Osakans are stingy," but then declared with conviction, "I will create a park of life in Osaka." He expressed his ambition to showcase a new world, unseen before, in this era of 100-year lifespans.

Ando reflected on Osaka's history, citing the rare example of landowners cooperating to allow for setbacks during the post-war reconstruction of Midosuji, and the Osaka City Central Public Hall, built with donations from Einosuke Iwamoto, a prominent stockbroker from the Meiji to Taisho eras. He spoke of reaffirming the strength of Osaka's citizens. He then explained that his supervision was aimed at creating a place that would endure for the next 50 to 100 years, as a globally rare, large-scale park adjacent to a major terminal station.

As an opening pre-event for "Grand Green Osaka," an "Audiovisual Performance" by Daito Manabe, representative of Rhizomatiks and known for connecting cutting-edge technology with contemporary art, will be held from Wednesday, November 1st, to Friday, November 3rd. He conveyed in a video message, "I am looking forward to presenting a performance using the body to the people of Osaka once again after a long time."

A major exhibition introducing street culture, including breakdancing which is particularly popular in Osaka and will be an official sport in the next Olympics, is planned. In April 2025, coinciding with the Osaka Expo, an "Exhibition of Tadao Ando's Architecture (tentative)" is also scheduled. With the birth of VS. – a place where Japanese culture and the world, technology and tradition, converge and contrast – the Umekita district is set to capture our attention.