Omotesando Hills

architechu

How to preserve? Why?

In Korea, many projects have been carried out as part of urban regeneration for quite some time. And if there is a big characteristic of those spaces, it is how to preserve 'old places' as 'regeneration' rather than 'development'.

Whenever I touch an old space, I always become careful. If it holds historical value, it should not be approached recklessly. Especially, what I value more is how this space is remembered by the residents of the local community.

'Sadness, loss', the feeling that everyone has experienced when beloved objects are broken or from childhood.

In particular, the fact that scenes of a place that one has lived in for several years or decades will never be seen again can be a form of violence for some residents who will continue to live in this place. The Japanese anime ' #DriftingHome' that can be seen on Netflix depicts well the sadness that a child experiences when the space that the female protagonist fondly cherishes is demolished. Of course, this often comes from the personal experiences and perspectives associated with the space rather than just attachment to the space. In this context, if a space that must be demolished or a space that is symbolic to the local residents or holds historical value is touched, it is done with caution.

If one only considers the economic aspect in the context of real estate development, regeneration is not helpful at all. However, when considering human and social values, regeneration often holds more effective value than expected. That is, the enduring experiential value that does not change allows the possibility for another life to be continued on this land in the future.

Today's space is mostly commercial space built after the demolition of the Aoyama Apartments, which stood as a part of Omotesando for a long time. The Aoyama Apartments in Omotesando were earthquake-resistant apartments built in 1927. During World War II, it was one of the few sturdy buildings that was used as a private shelter and also served as a place where civilians bombed could get water. It has played a role as a guardian of the area.

The demolition of this space was confirmed in 2003. A plan was established to make the Omotesando area a global shopping mecca and a canvas for modern architects, and the renowned Japanese master 'Tadao Ando' was appointed to oversee the area.

From 1927 to 2003, there was concern about how to preserve this space that contained the history of the area while keeping Tadao Ando's dilemma. As written on the Omotesando Hills homepage, the concern of Tadao was similar to mine in the first part of the content. Although I'm not sure if it was an intentional design, the traces of his concern continue to live on while the new building is connected to keep much of the past alive.

This is one of the few commercial facilities designed by Ando. Particularly, this building, laid out along a slope of about 250m, changes the city's facade to a uniform appearance over 250m. It was also planned to put most of the necessary areas underground to prevent a large tree planted on the hill from blocking the view from the residences. The design also considers the city landscape of the residents living there, as there are commercial spaces on the lower floors but residences on the upper floors. The space laid out on the slope also clearly shows its character indoors.

Combining horizontal and vertical lines like Ssamji Street in Jongno, Korea, and Garosu-gil on the Garosu-gil Street, it meanders up and down with commercial spaces along the street. The difference is that while Ssamji Street and Garosu-gil feel like outdoor spaces because the streets are exposed to the outside, thisplace shows a spiral-like movement that occurs entirely inside.

It is difficult to attribute this space solely to Tadao Ando at a glance. Although he mainly used exposed concrete, the interior and exterior finishes mainly deviate from his usual methods to meet commercial functions. Particularly, this large commercial space must fulfill many spatial conditions for functional reasons, but it does not perfectly reflect those specific details.

However, considering the remaining part and the residential space on the upper floor, it is clear that the space is delicately considered for people.

How to preserve? It is a space well reflecting that sentiment.

This is the representative commercial facility in Omotesando, Omotesando Hills.
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📍Location ㅣ 4 Chome-12 Jingumae, Shibuya City, Tokyo 150-0001 Japan
⏰ Business hours _ 11-23
🚗 Parking available
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PS. A diagram that roughly shows the internal facilities is attached in photo 10.