Mori Building’s new mixed-use complex in Tokyo, Azabudai Hills, is aiming to redefine city living by integrating extensive green spaces within a high-density urban area.
This reimagined “city within a city,” which opened in the capital’s Minato Ward on Friday, will host approximately 20,000 office workers and 3,500 residents when fully occupied and is expected to welcome 30 million visitors per year.
Within this sprawling development is the main Mori JP Tower, which at 330 meters is now the tallest building in Japan and houses both residences and office spaces; the Keio University Center for Preventive Medicine; the primary school campus of the British School in Tokyo; and the relocated teamLab Borderless Digital Museum; and two tall residence towers.
Naturally, a big attraction for both residents and visitors will be the dozens of shopping and dining spots that highlight the refined high end of tradition and modernity.
The overall design concept of Azabudai Hills highlights a balance between gleaming high-rises, designed by Pelli Clarke & Partners, and the lower-level districts filled with waves of greenery. The approach — a departure from traditional urban development practices — is part of Mori Building’s “Vertical Garden City” concept, which prioritizes eco-friendly development and challenges the traditional vision of hard-edged city living.
One theme of Azabudai Hills is wellness, and the shift toward integrating a natural ecosystem into the city center could indeed improve the overall health of the capital and its inhabitants.
The project comprises about 24,000 square meters of green space, with the central area spanning approximately 6,000 square meters. The structures and landscape design, developed by U.K. firm Heatherwick Studio, showcase a range of plant species, with more than 320 different types planned for the area and deciduous trees in the Central Green area highlight seasonal changes.
A distinctive feature of the lower-level district is its undulating roofs, buttresses and terraces. Both the greenery and the structures themselves, which resemble stone grids molded over gentle slopes, heighten a sense of organic forms. The project also exemplifies the design philosophy of Heatherwick Studio founder Thomas Heatherwick, who has raised eyebrows with his comments about boring urban architecture being a source of stress for city dwellers.
Here is a selection of scenes from the complex’s media preview, held on Monday. (Click on image to enlarge into a pop-up lightbox.)
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