he scheme, located on the south-west edge of the city alongside the Tama River, comprises a total of 400,000m² of retail, office, leisure and residential building, as well as a new city park. The first phase of the project, launched in March 2011, was made up of 260,000m² of mixed use development including two department stores, a retail galleria, an office building, three residential towers ranging from 28 to 40 storeys, as well as two low rise residential buildings, providing a total of 1000 apartments.
The recently completed final phase of construction creates an additional 140,000m² of development including retail, a cinema complex, TV studio and leisure uses, surrounding a 30-storey office building surmounted by a three-storey hotel.
Conran and Partners’ design concept for the project responds to the essential elements of the site: its location on the very edge of Tokyo, its adjacency to the Tamagawa River and the shift across its one kilometre length, from the urbanity of the railway station to the west, to the park to the east. As such, the scheme reflects the site’s important transitionary role at the threshold between city and nature in this popular, family-orientated neighbourhood.
A unifying landscaped plateau has been created across the whole site through which a ribbon element defines the journey: a promenade celebrating this transitional route. The individual building designs respond to their specific location along the route, with a bolder use of colour adjacent to the railway station, becoming lighter and more delicate in detail towards the park.
The scheme’s references to nature are expressed as stone strata, both as eroding planes within the base plateau and in the stepping form of the low rise buildings. The project is the first in Japan to achieve LEED ND Gold Standard (Pre-Certified Plan) – equivalent to the UK BREEAM ‘Excellent’.
Tim Bowder-Ridger, Managing Director, Conran and Partners comments: “Futako Tamagawa Rise epitomises our commitment at Conran and Partners to creating places that enhance the lives of those that live, work and visit them. It also demonstrates yet again the high quality of construction we have become accustomed to in Japan, as well as the essential collaborative spirit of the local project team.”
Richard Doone, Project Director at Conran and Partners adds: “The eleven years spent developing the Futako Tamagawa project have been a fascinating journey and further builds upon our experience of working in Japan, where we have been busy since 1993.”
Conran and Partners has been improving the built environment by producing thoughtful and inspired architecture and interiors for more than 30 years. Based in London and Brighton it has a wealth of local, national and international experience at all scales from Masterplanning and Urban Regeneration to Restaurant design.
The practice’s design skills have been endorsed by over 50 design awards and commendations, including Civic Trust Awards and RIBA Awards for its work in sensitive contexts.
Conran and Partners believes that high quality design adds value and improves our lives. In all projects, Conran and Partners’ aim is to create considered, well detailed buildings which are mindful of brief, context and user requirements, whilst bringing delight and satisfaction. It brings to the team and project a wide range of relevant expertise and experience.
Conran and Partners is skilled in producing viable and high quality proposals which show sensitive consideration for the context and local planning constraints. It was instrumental in developing the vision and master plan for the regeneration of the Butler’s Wharf estate, close to Tower Bridge and Roppongi Hills in central Tokyo, for the Mori Corporation. The practice is currently delivering several large-scale schemes in London, including the conversion of the landmark Centre Point development to residential, for Almacantar, and the redevelopment of the Green Man Lane Estate in Ealing, West London.
