The designer wanted to create a climate within the building and invite in the weather. By connecting 12mm-thick steel plates, he created a beautiful and unique plaza space reminiscent of the Piazza del Campo in Siena, Italy.

The phrase “architecture integrated with nature” seems cliched here. Rather than creating architecture, it is a part of the landscape, akin to “terrain architecture” or “stratum architecture.”

From a macro perspective, the earth is a large convex curve, while this plaza can be described as a large concave curve cut out from the site.

Another perspective to consider is the technology enabling this architecture. In terms of specifications, 12mm-thick steel plates form the primary structure, with a layer of permeable asphalt 30mm on top.
The weight of the steel plates on the ceiling part is approximately 580 tons. The peripheral walls and their supporting foundation consist of 83 piles, with 54 earth anchors.

The ceiling height ranges from a relatively low 2.2m to 2.8m. The space stretches leisurely about 82m north to south and about 55m east to west. Due to the low ceiling height, the openings in the ceiling feel even more pronounced.

The floor has a height difference of 5m, forming a mortar shape toward the center. The floor is covered with permeable asphalt, which was dry even immediately after a rain shower.

The structural engineer is Jun Sato. This work continues the flow from the collaborative work “Table,” which measures 9.5m in length, 2.6m in width, and 1.1m in height, with a thickness of just 3mm.

The steel plate processing technology reminds one of Toyo Ito’s MIKIMOTO 2 and Osamu Ishiyama’s Rias ark museum of art.

You may think that the theater is designed in a Japanese style simply because Kabuki is a traditional Japanese theater art.
Indeed, the present-day Kabuki-za theater is a splendid Japanese-style building.  

However, did you know that the current Kabuki-za is a fifth-generation building and Kabuki-za theaters were not always built in the Japanese style? 

江戸時代より続く歌舞伎の東の殿堂歌舞伎座は、施主といえば直接的には松竹であり歌舞伎座でしょうが、実際の施主は歌舞伎役者の方々や歌舞伎ファンの皆さんではないかと思います。

Louis Vuitton Maison Osaka Midosuji

This time, he chose ‘dichroic coating,’ a multi-layer metal film typically used for interior decorations or display materials, rather than traditional building materials. Implementing large-scale dichroic coatings for the first time posed several challenges.

To mimic the shimmering water surface, glass panels were installed on the exterior without metal frames to create a seamless surface. Interior glass panels were also used, covered with a gradation film to produce the effect of narrow oval windows visible from outside. Although the appearance of the glass changes with coatings and films, the glass itself remains colorless.

The effect of water was achieved with curved glass walls, each curved to 50 mm convexity and concavity, totaling 100 mm. These components were manufactured in China, which added layers of complexity in communication, instruction, and inspection during the manufacturing process. Furthermore, the installation took place in Ginza’s cramped conditions, where scaffolding and building proximity presented significant logistical challenges.

Louis Vuitton Ginza Namiki Dori

7-6-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061

今回のポイントは外壁の色合いと曲面でいかに水面を表現するかです。

まず色合いを出すために選定したのが“ダイクロック（多層金属皮膜）・コーティング”。
内装やディスプレイ素材のフィルム状のものはあったようですが、建築材料としてはほとんど使われた事はありませんでした。

初めての大々的なダイクロック・コーティングの採用にあたってはどんな苦労があったのでしょうか。

@yuki_architecturelover

Louis Vuitton 銀座並木通り店

〒104-0061 東京都中央区銀座７丁目６−１

The use of shelving from the firing kiln of the Sekishu tiles on the floor and walls of the first floor, and the use of molding formwork on the exposed concrete surface make this building look like a sister building of another Naito’s work, the Shimane Arts Center.
The entire space is filled with a sense of materiality and tension, such as the pillars, the concrete ceiling, and the flooring.  The walls of the upper floor, the entrance doors, and the sliding doors are all made of solid wood.

Kioi Seido

3 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0092

As of May 2023,  general visits are not accepted.
For details please check their website.

Rinri Kenkyujo