Nihonbashi 2-chome Area Project

This is a Type 1 urban redevelopment project centered on the preservation and revitalization of the main building of Nihonbashi Takashimaya S.C., the first department store to be designated a National Important Cultural Property. On top of two newly constructed skyscrapers and other buildings, the centripetal force of the history and design of the main building spilled over into the newly constructed city block, renewing the aging functions of the department store while incorporating the entire area and revitalizing the urban functions of Nihonbashi. The “Nihonbashi Galleria” is a pedestrian walkway that connects the main building to the new building. A cantilevered structure with a large glass roof over the new building gives the impression of unity between the old and new buildings, and new street stores have been built in part of the main building to create a new bustling atmosphere. The three urban blocks are connected by an overhead bridge, and a garden on the rooftop allows visitors to walk around the three urban blocks in the air. In addition, each of the city blocks was connected to the subway station plaza to strengthen the transportation node function, and the main building was designed as a hospitable space with a porte-cochere inside the half-way house.