The challenge for Roppongi Hills was to deliver something beyond mere urban agglomeration, to weave a singular place for work, play, and living - giving back to people the time normally lost to commuting. This integrated mega-urban redevelopment differentiates and connects places and programs both inside and outside its boundaries, simultaneously transforming the evolving life and character of the surrounding city. Vehicular and pedestrian flows achieve a certain level of intuitive ease despite the challenge of the project’s great size. Eighteen years in the making, it is the largest privately developed project in Japan and delivers a development endeavoring to fulfill a vision to humanize Tokyo’s environment.

Roppongi Hill’s invitation to an array of national and international designers to realize a woven vision of richness and diversity added a challenging and inspiring role to our efforts. Comprised of the largest office tower in Japan, a major broadcasting center, a sky museum, a historical garden, retail, entertainment, hospitality, residential, and cultural components, the separately commissioned components were woven together into an organic whole that respected the vitality of each component’s individuality. The core of Roppongi Hills is the Edo period Mohri Garden, out of which the forms and palettes of the project emanate.

Project directed by Brian Honda while at the Jerde Partnership, Inc.