Architecture in Tokyo: Omotesando Steet, Pt II

Walk by some of the finest architecture in just twenty minutes: In the first part of our little Architecture in Tokyo: Omotesando Street special, we tried to share with you some of the archtectural profile of Omotesando Street, beginning from the recent luxurious GYRE complex, up to the chic Louis Vuitton Omotesando building (completed in 2002). For today, we take a stroll up the road beyond Tod’s Omotesando, past the crossing of Aoyama Street, towards the Nezu Museum.

Written by Chiemi
Translated by Natsumi Yamane

6. Tod’s Omotesando

This Omotesando store of the Italian shoe brand “Tod’s” (established in 1979) was designed by acclaimed Japanese architect Toyo Ito. Completed in 2004, its distinctive exterior is made from two contrasting materials of seemingly bare concrete and glass. Just like the branches of the zelkova trees along the street, the pattern on the building’s façade get finer as it reaches upwards. Apparently, there was great difficulty to install the glass panels – as each of the glass panels of the exterior pattern has different shapes and sizes. But luckily for us, they succeeded and it is now known as one of the better buildings representing the beautiful architectural cluster in Omotesando.

And the same store by night. Photo by Wikipedia.

The Sendai Mediatheque, also designed by Toyo Ito. Photo by Wikipedia.

7. Hanae Mori Building

The Hanae Mori Building, the first and the oldest of the Omotesando series, stands only two doors away from Tod’s Omotesando. It was completed already thirty years ago in 1978 by Kenzo Tange. He is the one who also designed the Yoyogi National Gymnasium and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building. Almost resembling a house of mirrors at a carnival; this edifice reflects not only the zelkova trees but the pedestrians and the buildings across the road as well. It stands as a pioneering example of fashion brand buildings, designed by prominent architects.

8. ONE Omotesando

“ONE Omotesando” is the brown structure on the other side, just opposite the Hanae Mori Building. The designer of this architecture (completed in 2003,) Kengo Kuma was apparently deeply influenced by Kenzo Tange’s Yoyogi National Gymnasium, which he saw at the tender age of 10. He describes his own work as “some kind of frame of nature” and used natural materials to realise an exquisite contrast between the building and the line of zelkova trees for “ONE Omotesando.” Kengo Kuma’s other works include the new Suntory Museum that was relocated inside Tokyo Midtown last year and MUJI’s prefab Window House.

Interesting perspective - you can see the back of ONE Omotesando from its right hand side.

Also designed by Kengo Kuma, the Suntory Museum inside Tokyo Midtown. Photo by Wikipedia.

9. Comme de Garçons Aoyama

At the crossing of Aoyama Dori, walk toward the Samantha Thavasa store (when you spot its Victoria Beckham ad, you can’t possibly miss it) and proceed about thirty meters to find Comme de Garçons Aoyama on your right: Marvel at its unique atmosphere amongst the other sharp and angular structures by Japanese designers. This store of the popular Japanese fashion label was designed by the British architectural collective Future Systems, who was also responsible for the design of the spaceship-like media centre at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. By the way, they were awarded the RIBA Stirling Prize in 1998, which is considered to be one of the most prestigious prizes in the British architecture industry. This store design also involved Comme de Garçons’ fashion designer Rei Kawakubo and interior designer Takao Kawasaki. An overall result that pretty successfully represents the unique concept of Comme de Garçons with blue - a colour rarely used in architecture.

10. Prada Boutique Aoyama

Last but not least, comes a particularly striking glass structure – yes, the Prada Boutique Aoyama designed by Swiss architect duo, Herzog & de Meuron in 2003. As pedestrian, you can’t possibly ignore its very presence! The sporadic convexes on the exterior surfaces are obtained by using free-form and flat surface glasses for the diamond (!) shaped panels. This building has added a more intellectual and sophisticated image to Prada, and we regard it undoubtedly as one of the greatest architectures of 21st century Tokyo!

You Tokyoites certainly know that there are still many more exquisite works in this area. So on a sunny afternoon, take a little stroll down the Omotesando to explore these treasures. Also, for more coverage of the Omotesando area, have a look at our exquisite collection on Flickr, and don’t forget to check the locations from the Google Map below!

11 Comments

1. very stunning in fact, but one should wonder if “architecture” does not mean anything beyond these old star system caprices, too.

   Posted by: plantas on March 20th, 2008 at 4:52 am

2. I heard that there is a restaurant at the top of the topmost building pictured where you can reserve a private outdoor table which is very, very discrete.

   Posted by: Joseph on March 20th, 2008 at 3:24 pm

3. I love the buldings from Herzog&deMeuron. There is a movie about the Olympic Project:
   http://www.cineman.ch/movie/2008/BirdsNest/review.html

   Posted by: mee on March 20th, 2008 at 7:49 pm

4. stunning

   Posted by: diablo 2 cd key on March 21st, 2008 at 10:59 am

5. bloody spammers….why? why?

   oh, thanks for the article..very nice.

   Posted by: bloody spammers on March 21st, 2008 at 12:01 pm

6. I just return to Singapore from Japan last weekend. Been to Omotesando, it’s beautiful! I snapped a photo of the Hanae Mori Building too. =)

   Posted by: Christina Loh on March 24th, 2008 at 9:54 am

7. after reading about beijing and dubai regarding its starchitecture boom I started to debate does this mean both cities pass tokyo as great architecture cities? even though tokyo is more home grown, it just doesn’t stack up against these cities

   Posted by: mike on March 26th, 2008 at 12:44 am

8. Japan’s architecture, has always been living in a harmony between simplicity and aethetics, very nice and very phylosophical!

   Posted by: enrica on March 28th, 2008 at 3:21 pm

9. This is a nice article, but you missed one of the best! Le Collezione is down the street from Prada, towards Nezu Art Museum and is one of Ando’s early Tokyo buildings. It was designed to be labyrinthine and mysterious–like an Italian hill town. Its a wonderful building, not to be missed.

   Posted by: Jeremy on April 5th, 2008 at 4:32 am

10. [...] de James qui représentent des bâtiments conçus par SANAA sur Omotesando, cet article en deux parties sur le site PingMag offre un parcours architectural de ce boulevard à Toyko augmenté des capsules [...]

    Posted by: Perspectives de vie à Londres et à Tokyo imaginées par Stephen Taylor et Ryue Nishizawa » Pour poursuivre sur Omotesando on August 1st, 2008 at 7:42 am

11. Just like the branches of the zelkova trees along the street, the pattern on the building’s façade get finer as it reaches upwards.

    Posted by: Wrought Iron Furniture on July 31st, 2009 at 11:30 pm

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