Not Just Retail

Went to check out Tokyo Midtown, the high end retail mall in Roppongi. With it's extensive use of wood and soft lighting, it creates a mood of warmth and comfort that I've never experienced in any other large scale retail space before. Normally, I hate shopping malls. But I would have to say that this is one of the few exceptions - its design allows it to be luxurious and elegant, without seeming inaccessible.

Apart from the retail, there are also great places to eat and drink, including a Terence Conran restaurant, Botanica, as well as a wine bar called Coppola's Vinoteca, which showcases the wines from Francis Ford Coppola's boutique vineyard.

Part of Tokyo Midtown's vision is that there needs to be a shift from a production-oriented society to a creation-oriented society in order to remain at the forefront. With that in mind, this project also includes the Suntory Museum of Art, Tokyo Midtown Design Hub, and 21_21 Design Sight, a design gallery/workshop created by fashion designer Issey Miyake and architect Tadao Ando.

"The idea was to create not only a museum that shows exhibits, but also a place for researching the potentiality of design as an element that enriches our daily life, a place that fosters the public's interest in design by arousing in them different sights and perspectives on how we can view the world and the objects surrounding us." - Tadao Ando

The entire project is also eco-friendly, with a lot of green space incorporated into the design (40% of the total grounds), including Midtown Garden and adjacent Hinokicho Park. Water recycling, and electrical and heat saving technologies are utilized in all the buildings.

Tokyo Midtown is the model after which all future urban multi-use developments should aim towards.

More info on Tokyo Midtown here.