Construction has broken ground on Heatherwick Studio's latest project in Asia – a striking, organic, mixed use development featuring within its composition a distinctive green pergola style roof. The scheme, located in Tokyo's Toranomon-Azabudai district, includes the public realm and lower-level podium architecture for a site, which also comprises a 6,000 sq m central landscaped square, office, residential, retail, a school and a temple.
Working with the Mori Building Company to create ‘an exceptional public district for the city', Heatherwick Studio is effectively working on the redevelopment of the wider area’s accessible public realm, which is expected to be visited by some 25 million people per year, once completed.
The practice responded to the site’s irregular shape by designing fluid, undulating volumes, which are topped off by a planted roof – this gives a much needed green element to the scheme, while echoing ‘the natural forms of the project’s valley setting', explain the architects.
‘It’s been very exciting working on the Toranomon-Azabudai project and much of our effort has been focused on designing the public spaces that everyone will experience when they spend time in this new area,’ says Thomas Heatherwick. ‘As many new developments around the world can be harsh and sterile we wondered if we could provide a more human-centred alternative by integrating surprisingly intense quantities of planting and greenery.’
The Toranomon-Azabudai project is Heatherwick Studio’s very first to begin construction in Japan. Completion is due in March 2023.
INFORMATION
-
Samuel Ross’ Miami Design District benches swoop in for sculptural sit-downsSamuel Ross’ Miami Design District ‘Expression.Service.Essence’ project comprises 12 bench designs permanently installed in the ever-evolving neighbourhood
-
Malorie Blackman is celebrated with British Library exhibition
‘Malorie Blackman: The Power of Stories’ at the British Library shines a light on her journey as an author, while touching on social issues represented in her novels
-
Vincent Van Duysen’s stone furniture explores sensuality and culture
Vincent Van Duysen’s new furniture collection for stone specialist Arca is unveiled at Design Miami 2023
-
Heatherwick Studio’s Azabudai Hills district launches as Tokyo’s newest city-in-a-city
Tokyo welcomes the Azabudai Hills district, designed by Heatherwick Studio and constructed as a city-in-a-city after over three decades of planning
-
Toranomon Hills Station by OMA adds dynamism to the Tokyo skyline
Toranomon Hills Station is OMA's first tower in Tokyo - as well as a project expanding and evolving the high rise typology
-
Thomas Heatherwick's 'Humanise' is a book campaigning for joy in architecture
Thomas Heatherwick's 'Humanise' is a new book - and the start of a campaign - by the designer, arguing against 'boring' buildings
-
Terunobu Fujimori’s Kodomari Fuji guest house features a roof lined with cherry trees
Cherry trees line the roof at Kodomari Fuji, Terunobu Fujimori's first accommodation facility design, a private guest house in Japan
-
Modern Japanese houses inspiring minimalism and avant-garde living
We tour the best Japanese architecture and modern Japanese houses designed by international and local architects that open up possibilities for all types of lifestyle, from minimalist to communal in Japanese architecture.
-
Arii Irie, Japan: Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2023
Japanese practice Arii Irie has joined the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2023, our annual round-up of exciting emerging architecture studios
-
Sliding components create a transformable office in Kyoto: see it move!
Naoshi Kondo Studio has created a transformable office with its own architectural puzzle box that turns an L-shaped unit into a multifunctional space
-
Maebashi Galleria blends art and living in Japan’s Gunma
Maebashi Galleria by Akihisa Hirata launches in Gunma, as a new complex fusing art galleries with residences
