Obayashi Corporation is a Japanese construction company founded in 1892. The first issue of "Obayashi Quarterly" was published in 1978 as a public relations magazine of Obayashi Corporation to introduce information related construction culture along with the surrounding culture. The magazine is based on socially relevant themes and consists of essays by outside experts and the "Obayashi Project," in which the technical staff of the Obayashi develops future plans or hypothetical reconstructions based on the themes.
No.65 "Earth"
The earth nurtures life and sustains the rich natural environments that surround us. We live each day benefiting from its blessings. How did the earth come into being? And is there land on planets beyond Earth?
This issue explores the diverse and colorful landscapes found around the world and the ways in which they are intertwined with people’s lives. We also trace the geological processes that have shaped these distinctive landscapes. In the Obayashi Project, we took on the ambitious challenge of conceptualizing the creation of habitable terrain and the development of an environment capable of sustaining life inside a Martian crater.
We reflect on the richness and significance of the natural world nurtured by the earth and turn our thoughts to the future of our planet’s environment.
（Published in 2026）
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The Colors and Expressions of the Earth
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Earth's Soil and Planetary Soil
FUJII Kazumichi
(Unit Leader, Soil Homeostasis Research Unit, Fukushima Institute for Research, Education and Innovation) - View Detail
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Who Owns Land in Space?: Rethinking the Ethics of Terraforming
MOTOMURA Yukiko
(Visiting Professor, Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University; Guest Editor, The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.) - View Detail
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Terraforming: Ecosynthesis and Ecological Restoration on Mars
Christopher P. McKay
(Planetary Scientist; Senior Scientist, NASA Ames Research Center) - View Detail
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OBAYASHI PROJECT
Creating Habitable Terrain on Mars: Crater Paraterraforming
Concept: Obayashi Project Team
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Dreams of the Red Earth: Five Hundred Years of Martian Settlement
TAKEUCHI Kaoru
(Science Writer; Professor, Faculty of Social Informatics, ZEN University) - View Detail
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The "Earthen Houses" of Iceland
FUJIMORI Terunobu
(Architectural historian and architect; Director, Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum; and Emeritus Professor, University of Tokyo) - View Detail
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The Earth's Memory: Landscapes Shaped by Nature and Human Life
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Each issue features projects that restore historic buildings and propose buildings and towns for the near future. Discover the depth and possibilities of construction.
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No.65
Creating Habitable Terrain on Mars: Crater Paraterraforming
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No.63
Osaka Bay Fish Farm
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No.59
The "Compact Agriculture" Concept
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No.64
Deciphering the Hashihara Castle Town Map: The Imaginary Town of MOTOORI Norinaga