Japanese developer Mori Building Company has finished its 8.1-hectare district in Tokyo called Azabudai Hills.
Under construction since August 2019, it has homes, retail, a school, two temples, art galleries, offices and restaurants.
90% of the district’s original tenants and businesses chose to return following the transformation.
Described by Mori Building Company as a “modern urban village”, it contains 2.4ha of green space, including a 6,000-sq-m central square, walkable rooftop slopes and water features.
The $4.4bn project contains three skyscrapers designed by America’s Pelli Clarke & Partners, including the Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower, Japan’s tallest building at 325m.
Public realm and lower-level architecture was designed by UK-headquartered designer Heatherwick Studio.
The practise also designed the British School in Tokyo, a 15,000-sq-m space that will accommodate 800 students.
Neil Hubbard, Heatherwick Studio partner, said: “Over the last 10 years, we have tried to get under the skin of what makes something distinctively Tokyo, whilst at the same time adding something new that’s fresh and soft to its modern built environment.
“We wanted to create vistas full of variety and intrigue and spaces to explore. It’s a confluence of different families of design all brought together in one place. I can’t wait to watch people explore it.”
Up to 30 million people are expected to visit Azabudai Hills each year.
The Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower building is due to be overtaken as the country’s tallest building by the Torch Tower when completed in 2028.
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