Accedi
Utenti registrati
The project is a redevelopment plan in the rapidly evolving Shibuya Station area, aimed at organically connecting the station, city, and community while establishing new urban circulation routes. Unlike conventional redevelopment approaches, which tend to be confined within a single site, this plan responds to the area's hilly terrain and urban context to establish a multidirectional pedestrian network that radiates outward. Through workshops with local landowners, the project team reinterpreted the area's history and pedestrian routes. Inspired by the concept of “Tsunagi-ba” (connecting points where paths intersect), the design incorporates atriums and outdoor spaces to create welcoming environments where people can pass through, relax, and interact.
Votazioni chiuse
The site is along Aoyama-dori Avenue, which links Shibuya Station and the Aoyama district, in an area dense with cultural, educational, and commercial facilities. However, local connectivity had declined due to road widening and other developments. Encircled by roads and with a 6-meter elevation change, the site had steep, indirect pedestrian routes. The design places a pedestrian network through the building, restoring connectivity. An atrium supplements vertical circulation and links to sidewalks, facility entrances, nearby decks, and a pedestrian overpass. This promotes movement, improves district access, and unifies the area. Gathering spaces around the site invite people to relax and connect with the city. The design reimagines an urban landscape, harmonizing architecture and context.
Environmental considerations were central, with sustainability pursued across materials, structure, and systems. Recyclable cast aluminum louvers on the facade enhance solar shading and reduce floor heat gain, while reusing an existing underground structure and adopting lightweight structural systems minimize resource use and environmental impact. Time-controlled exterior lighting and high-efficiency mechanical equipment reduce operational energy use, and the project earned ZEB Oriented certification and ZEB Ready certification for office areas under BELS. It also received an “S” rank under CASBEE-WO, recognizing high comfort and occupant health. The project aims to be a sustainable architectural model that blends with the city while promoting an environmentally responsible society.
The project focuses on enhancing public value in tandem with urban walkability in an effort to address the urban fragmentation caused by city development. A centrally positioned atrium cuts through the sloped site, allowing for the creation of a multilayered pedestrian network that restores connection throughout the area. Along this network, myriad indoor and outdoor spaces offer room for relaxation and interaction, encouraging not only movement but also engagement. The concept of “Tsunagi-ba” (points of intersection and connection), developed through workshops with local landowners, draws on the site’s topography and history to inform the architecture, endowing the site with a stronger presence and fostering a deeper connection to the local community. Architecturally, the facade design visualizes the pedestrian network and the connections it generates: At the podium level, a gate-like frame marks the entrance to a through-path and strikes a welcoming presence for pedestrians, while wide eaves open to the street, drawing people inward. On the upper floors, tapered cast aluminum fins, designed with the six-directional pedestrian network as a motif, give the curtain wall a dynamic expression and embody the site’s diverse urban linkages. Across the design, form and function are seamlessly integrated, endowing the architecture with a cohesive identity.
The project redefines the relationship between architecture and city. Early collaboration with the client led to a vibrant urban node, drawing more foot traffic than expected. A walkable route runs through the site, linking green spaces and plazas for relaxation and interaction. These features strengthen ties between people and place while connecting neighborhoods. The building serves as both a passage and a destination, encouraging engagement and lasting vitality.
Mitsubishi Jisho Design was founded in 1890 as the Marunouchi Architecture Office of Mitsubishi. The firm was integral in developing Tokyo’s Marunouchi district and many other landmark projects. Since becoming an independent company in 2001, it has expanded its work in urban planning, architectural design, renovation, consulting, and interiors both in Japan and abroad. The firm specializes in enhancing urban spaces and supporting diverse activity through architecture and urban design. With its deep understanding of social issues and local contexts, the firm creates spaces that balance public value and sustainability. By exploring connections between cities and people—and between communities and architecture—it strives to enrich urban life. On the occasion of its 130th anniversary, the firm redefined its mission to foster rich environments and promote culture through creativity and technical expertise, and it is committed to working toward a sustainable society aligned with the SDGs.
