Ｈａｋａｔａ Ｃｕｌｔｕｒｅ vol.103

Island City Turns 10

Island City is an artificial island that was built in Hakata Bay in part to bolster the city's port functions. The island is divided into the port zone, which features a state-of-the-art container terminal, and a residential zone. This year marks the 10th year since residents first moved into the new neighborhoods on Island City, and a variety of events to commemorate this anniversary are in the works. Several new facilities are also opening.

Aiming to make Island City a "Future City for Health and Well-being", City Hall has undertaken several progressive initiatives to make the island a great place to raise children and a comfortable home for the elderly. One example of these efforts is Teriha Elementary and Junior High School, Fukuoka's first ever combined 9-grade elementary/junior high school. Island City is also home to the Fukuoka City Children's Hospital, which is one of the few highly specialized pediatric hospitals in Japan, as well as other world-renowned specialist hospitals and cutting-edge rehabilitation centers.

Even before Island City came into existence, the surrounding waters and nearby coasts were known for their diverse marine and wildlife. This is why an eco-park zone has been developed where people can enjoy swimming in the ocean, birdwatching and other activities. Aiming to realize an energy-efficient city, Island City also boasts an experimental neighborhood that is striving to eliminate CO2 emissions as well as smart houses that use information technology to optimally control energy consumption.

In the meantime, a raft of new facilities has opened this summer, including a spa resort, which is the island's first large-scale commercial building, and a multipurpose building housing a pharmacy, a cafe and other shops; a farm-fresh market is slated to open in the near future. For the past 10 years, Island City has grown through the cooperation of the public and private sectors, and going forward, a wide array of initiatives aimed at creating a community for a new era are sure to continue. 

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10周年を迎えたアイランドシティ

　福岡市東区の博多湾に浮かぶアイランドシティ。博多湾の港湾機能強化を目的に誕生した人工島で、コンテナターミナルなどの港湾ゾーンと居住ゾーンに分かれています。今年は住宅地が開発され、市民が住み始めた2005年の「まちびらき」から10周年を迎えました。それを記念してさまざまなイベントが計画されており、新しい施設などが次々にオープンしています。

　「ふくおか健康未来都市」を目指すアイランドシティは、子どもたちがすくすく育ち、高齢者が心豊かに安心して暮らせるための先進的な取り組みが行われています。例えば福岡市初となった公立の小中一貫校である照葉小中学校。また国内有数の小児専門高度医療施設である福岡市立こども病院をはじめ、世界的に著名な専門病院や最先端のリハビリテーション施設が立地しています。

　アイランドシティ周辺の海や海岸は、もともと多様な生物が棲息することでも知られていました。そのため水辺に親しめる海岸や野鳥などの観察が楽しめるエコパークソーンなど、自然環境に配慮した開発が行われています。また省エネ型の都市を実現するため、CO2排出量ゼロを目指す実験的な街区や、情報通信技術を使ってエネルギーを最適な状態に制御するスマートハウスなども設置されています。

　今年の夏はアイランドシティ初の大型商業施設であるスパ施設や、カフェなどを備えた多彩な機能を持つ調剤薬局ビルなど、新しい施設も次々にオープンしました。今後は医食同源をテーマとした産直マーケットもできる予定です。産学官民が一体となって開発を進めるアイランドシティは、これからもさまざまな挑戦をしながら新しい時代のまちづくりを進めて行きます。