Beyond Architecture: Gifts for the Future

In addition to being a world-renowned architect, Ando has continued to actively commit himself to society, such as by establishing a disaster orphans fund to help children overcome their difficult circumstances or by building libraries for children.

Of these activities, he has been engaged in extensive environmental efforts focused on tree planting for such a long time that it could even be described as his life work. For Ando, “both the acts of creating architecture and creating forests involve acting on the environment and can bring new value to places”.

The beautiful waters and islands of the Setouchi region have always captivated people’s hearts. However, its beautiful nature was sacrificed for economic growth during the postwar years, and its islands were quarried, filled with garbage, and turned to wastelands.

Among the most severely affected islands was Teshima, where 285,000 square meters of greenery was destroyed due to the illegal dumping of industrial waste.

Confident that the damaged nature could be restored through the power of the people, Ando and his associates launched an initiative to replant the denuded island with olive trees using donations from the public.

Many rallied to his call, and with more than 200,000 donations made to date, the island’s nature has gradually been healing. The Setouchi landscape is being mended by the compassion of the people.

The Japan Mint Cherry Blossom Passage that runs along the Okawa River in central Osaka is a popular spot for viewing cherry blossoms. Planted with some 800 cherry trees, the 670-meter-long passage comes alive with blossom viewers every spring.

In conjunction with a project to redesign a nearby bridge, Ando initiated the Heisei-Era Alley of Cherry Blossoms, which was a project that aimed to extend the cherry-lined path to create the world’s longest promenade. 

Launched in 2004, the project gained the support of many businesses and citizens, and ultimately saw the addition of 3,000 cherry trees. The urban greenway has since become a place for people to relax in all seasons throughout the year.

Environmental enhancement projects such as these do not simply create more greenery; they also help spark and foster civic mindedness as they depend on the voluntary participation of individuals.


Ando believes that in addition to rich architectural spaces, the presence of such mature, civic-minded citizens is essential to making cities more appealing.

This project led to the realization of four "Sakura Hiroba" (cherry blossom plazas) throughout Japan, which were conceived as places for citizens to relax, utilizing idle land of companies.

As Tokyo prepared to make its bid for the 2016 Olympics, Ando was brought on board to develop the grand design for the project. This led to him launching a new project to reshape the city in an environmentally conscious way for the coming generations.

The site for his project was an 88-hectare landfill in Tokyo Bay. He proposed an ambitious plan to transform this site piled high with 30-meter-high mounds of urban waste into a forest by the hands of citizens.

Ando’s vision went beyond the scope of the Olympic bid. The forest is intended for the generations to come decades in the future, and he saw it as the first step for reshaping Tokyo as a whole into a humane city.

Some 500,000 citizens answered to his call for 1,000-yen donations, which funded the planting of 240,000 trees. A variety of plants now cover the once barren site, and the saplings are continuing on their way to becoming great trees.

All of Ando’s environmental enhancement projects can be read as messages for future generations to remember the importance of living with nature.