In the business district of Shibaura Tokyo this White glass Tension Structured building appeared. This building, the “Shibaura House”, was built by Kazuyo Sejima, an architect who is gaining international popularity.

The Shibaura House has been covered on T.V. many times and is run as a “Place of Activity” for this Advertising and Prepress Company. Being built at the location of the original office headquarters, their goal was not simply to rebuild the same building, but to make it a building that serves as a “communication space” for those that live in and around Shibaura.

On the first floor there is the “Living room” which has chairs and tables and is open to the public for free usage. The 2nd and 3rd floors have terraces which are connected by lounges where people can study and work. The 4th floor is the Advertising and Prepress companies “Work space”, and finally on the top floor there is the “Bird room” which is rented out for usage for workshops, etc.

According to the companies representative, Masaru Ito, having not decided the concept of the building they went to see Kazuyo Sejima’s past works with the staff of Sejima’s office. They spent 10 days in Europe and decided on the “Vertical one Room” design. This design made by Sejima became the Shibaura House.

Compared to the building next to it which has upwards of 10 stories, this 5 story building gives off a very luxurious feel. In addition adopting this hollowed out semi-outdoor space, each stories floor has a differing plane, giving each floor its own personal expression. Sejima’s architectural touch can be seen through the heavy usage of pasting glass, slender delicate columns, gradual curving lines, and transparency. Throughout the day the lighting of the building is more than sufficient. There is a sense of openness, and even in going down from one floor to the next you do not feel the sense of going “down” to a lower floor.

The official opening of the building was set for the 4th of July, however there has been planning for various workshops beginning in June. This creative building will be a place where people from the community can gather and work/ study together. The Shibaura House will definitely be a source for the creation of future creative ideas.

SHIBAURA HOUSE
3-15-4,Shibaura,Minato-ku,Tokyo
03-5419-6446
https://www.shibaurahouse.jp