Renovation and Re-opening of the Dear Jingumae Building on March 21, 2014.
This project renovated a 25-year old office building, located on a back street of Omotesando in Tokyo. The structure was previously used as an office but will now accommodate a shop on at least one of its floors.
The owner requested a design with a façade expression differentiated from the surrounding buildings, which would be helpful for branding for future tenants. The Amano Design Office designed it with a soft expression that would be pleasing to passers-by, while standing out from the surrounding buildings.
By removing the out-of-fashion decorative frame structure on the existing building frame as much as possible, the primary shape was exposed. The curving stainless-steel louvres wrap around the upper floors of the three-storey-high structure, creating curves intended by Amano to be reminiscent of soft clothing.
Metallic louvers were placed, using computer design to add a modern expression. The louvers give a soft expression by connecting three-dimensionally misaligned radiuses. The louver components are welded to crossed stainless steel plates and protrude from the building frame by stainless steel pipes, resulting in a streamlined workability.
About the Author:
Bruno Dursin – Managing Director at Believe in Steel. Bruno has more than 30 years of experience in promoting steel & steel solutions. His clients benefit from his extensive network within the building industry.