Omotesando Branches, Tokyo

About

Tokyo’s exclusive shopping district of Omotesando has become an architectural showcase with boutique buildings like that of Dior by SANAA, Prada by Herzog & de Meuron, and Tod’s by Toyo Ito. This collection of unique buildings mixes with the green of trees and plants. Taking inspiration from this scenery, the building was envisioned as a fusion of architecture and nature. It makes use of a conventional rigid concrete frame. The frame corresponds to the surrounding environment, fluctuates according to the demands of the interior, and then begins to branch off with trees positioned at the ends of the concrete frame. This makes it seem as if natural trees are sprouting out of a huge artificial tree, and the building itself appears to be part of the earth or a three-dimensional extension of the ground. Aside from blocking out sunlight and controlling temperature, this facade harmonizes with the surrounding area through a fusion of artificial and natural elements. Through its simplicity and openness, this system is a proposal for a new form of architecture. The hybrid of grid frame and trees can be expanded from the small scale of a house to that of an enormous high-rise... [+]

Sources

• Arquitectura Viva