nendo's timber-grid tokyo building tops out with a sky forest terrace

located within the kojimachi neighborhood in central tokyo, japan, nendo has designed an office building that connects people to the outdoors, enhances the power of nature, and thus improves working conditions. to allow more physical experiences of the outdoors, six balconies have been placed sporadically on the yokohama ekimae building’s eleven floors. these spaces can easily be transformed into meeting areas by simply closing the doors and windows that surround it. the design peaks with a unique open-air garden, called the ‘sky forest’, on the building’s three highest levels. with lush greenery, the terrace offers employees a retreat from the desk.

all images courtesy of nendo

as well as the many balconies, the building’s façade is also covered with large glass windows with some enabling natural air into enter the interior. these terraces and windows could have resulted in unsightly rails on the exterior. however, nendo prevented this by weaving the rails and pillars into a natural, camoflaged grid, all in the same size and wooden finish.

in contrast to the timber used for the exterior, the office’s interior design includes raw stone and bronze-colored stainless steel. the floors and walls were manually plastered to create an uneven, textured appearance that evokes a natural quality. weaved like the exterior grid, though, the interior’s lighting design is directed to the floor and ceiling to deliver a sense of depth. the intricate nature of the office design is complete with benches, carpets and logos created using woven patterns.

project info:

name: kojimachi terrace

client: yokohama ekimae building

location: 3-1, kojimachi, chiyoda, tokyo, japan

designer: nendo

collaborator: ikawaya architects

photographer: takumi ota