architect Kengo Kuma & Associates
project Office Building, Tokyo, Japan
written by Kengo Kuma

 

The project is the head office building of a fashion group that stands at the entrance to Omotesando, often called the most beautiful avenue in Tokyo.

 

Omotesando is a picturesque boulevard lined on both sides with huge zelkova trees and leads to Meiji Shrine, the largest Shinto shrine in Tokyo. My aim was to make these trees resonate, and not conflict, with the building. We created a mullioned structure 45 cm deep with laminated wood made of larch to support the curtain wall. The stems would resonate with the lumber and the vertical lines of the mullions would resonate with vertical lines of the trees. The wooden mullions also resonate with Meiji Shrine’s wooden architecture.