Semba Building

A Courtyard Office Block in Osaka

The Semba Building (船場ビルディング) is a reinforced concrete office and residential building of 1925 in Awajimachi, Chuo Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, which in 2000 was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property.

The Agency for Cultural Affairs records five storeys above ground and one below, with a building area of 717 square metres, registered as a model of design and designed by the office of Murakami Tetsuichi.

Osaka City places it at the centre of Kita-Semba, the historic heart of the city.

Structure

According to the Agency, it stands near Midosuji, with the tiled exterior of an office building.

Inside, a long, patio-like courtyard rises through the full height, ringed by galleries on every floor.

What to Look For

Osaka City describes it as a unique scheme conceived as a multi-storey communal townhouse combining work and living, and one of few surviving works of the Osaka architect Murakami Tetsuichi. A major renovation in 1998 made it a popular tenant building with a retro atmosphere, pioneering the reuse of modern buildings in Semba.

In fiscal 2023, the city notes, the original exterior lights were recreated. The full-height courtyard and its galleries are the highlight.

Visiting the Semba Building

Osaka City notes that it takes part in the Living Architecture Museum Festival Osaka with public openings. It is a working tenant building, so check event information for access.