Tokyu Kabukicho Tower

Design Team：Yuko Nagayama+ KUME SEKKEI
Size：87400 m² 
Location：Tokyo, JAPA

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Feature：
Project - The newly completed Tokyu Kabukicho Tower in Tokyo is a striking mixed-use development that celebrates the iconic energy and spirit of the city's famous Kabukicho entertainment district. Designed by a team including Yuko Nagayama & Associates, KUME SEKKEI Co., and Tokyu Architects & Engineers, the 48-story tower features a distinct facade that pays homage to the fountain that once graced the site's public plaza. In a unique design move, over 4,000 printed glass panels adorn the tower's upper levels, their ceramic dot patterns representing the dynamic spray of the former fountain. Below, intricate wave patterns across the glazing and gradient window arches further evoke the sense of flowing water. The lower portion features a lace-like cast aluminum exterior incorporating traditional Japanese waveform motifs in a translucent veil. The design rejects the typical authoritarian expression of skyscrapers, instead aiming to capture the free-spirited vitality of Kabukicho through an ephemeral, almost phantom-like form. As Yuko Nagayama & Associates explains, "This wavering design has become a new symbol of the district." Inside, the wave-like motif continues in ceilings that appear to undulate and water-inspired features like chain-link glazing meant to mimic liquid flow. The immersive environment extends the fountain concept to provide an imaginative escape.

 

Design Team - Founded in 2002 by principal architect Yuko Nagayama, YUKO NAGAYAMA & ASSOCIATES has rapidly emerged as one of Japan's most creative and ambitious architectural practices. Headquartered in Tokyo, the firm is renowned for its explorative designs that challenge conventions and reinterpret traditional elements into contemporary architectural language. Under Nagayama's visionary direction, the studio has garnered numerous accolades, including the prestigious 2014 JIA Young Architect Award for their poetic Teshima Yokoo House. Their landmark Goddess of the Forest Central Garden captured the 2017 Yamanashi Cultural Prize of Architecture and 2018 Tokyo Architecture Award for Excellence. Most recently, their JINS PARK Maebashi project received a 2023 iF Design Award. The firm's multidisciplinary team, including design principals Tomosuke Hanatsumi and Misaki Ide, seamlessly integrates architecture, art, and environment. Their diverse portfolio spans residential, cultural, commercial, and public projects unified by a bold, conceptual approach that elevates user experiences through evocative spatial narratives. With restless creativity and technical mastery, YUKO NAGAYAMA & ASSOCIATES continues pioneering architecture that transcends mere functional needs to inspire deeper connections between the built and natural worlds.