The urban design responds to the size and shape of the site, its relationship to surrounding developments and to the diversity of activities to be included within. Its urban built form will be unique within Osaka and provide a range of functions that will attract local and global visitors whilst also providing considerable resource for a local community. The proposal includes a cultural centre including theatre, exhibition space, cinemas, restaurants and a retail boulevard at the heart of the phase 1 development. The buildings will be raised on a plinth so that the ground can be used for service access, plant and car park and the visitors to the site can enjoy a safe pedestrianised environment which minimises environmental pollution. Rather than adopting a traditional street and block structure the design is organised as a series of activity nodes in a quasi-natural landscape free from relentlessly rectilinear organisation. The development is not stacked vertically and the activities are laid out in a relaxed composition which allows the users to see the development as a permeable cultural and physical landscape. The cultural complex and retail boulevard are at the heart of Phase 1 and will be seen as the gateway to the entire project and with a public podium connection to the station creating a main entry point for visitors. In addition there are frequent entry points from ground level around the site. Movement throughout the site is assisted by pedestrian travelators which make connections to all the major activities. The urban form and route network define locations for a sequence of car-free public spaces.