From the outside, it appears almost literally to be a wall. The first time I walked by it, I had trouble finding the entrance. The first opening I found led me down into a basement area with a couple shops. A dead end — how fitting.

To my eyes, it is cold, forbidding and a monumental waste. It is a glass and concrete wave frozen at its apex, menacingly poised above our heads, forever threatening to engulf the stately zelvokas.

http://www.omotesandohills.com/about/index.html

Wait for it to load, then go to “Concept” -> “Introduction” in the Japanese Version of the site and wait for the video to start playing.

So it starts in 1920 going through the centuries. Some neatly composed music piece accompanies the viewer in the path through history. Then comes 2006 and the screen goes pitch black. The music continuous, but the screen… well it remains black until the final end…

Either someone forgot to check that the video is not playing all the way through or the video is trying to show that after all these years of histor, a “dark era” has started with 2006 on Omotesando Street ;-)

Have fun, Steve

As for parking, I disagree, and actually wish Tokyo would encourage similar driving restrictions that London has instututed. If the subway isn’t convenient, then there are handicap buses, and taxis. Tokyo has amazing public transportation, and I think the majority of the people driving are doing it for the status it holds, not because of the necessity (you probably won’t see many k-cars, or domestically made cars at that, in that parking lot)

Why not more trees and natural light?.. They installed lights to make it look natural?..

I’m sure I’d ‘appreciate’ it more if I saw it in person, but I’m tired of concrete prison architecture; I live in a box. Why would I want to shop in a box? ;)

GJ

You have to also think about people who drive because it’s harder to take public transporation. I mean like disabled people or mothers who have strollers and young kids to carry around.

the only problem I can see with the building right now is it’s lack of environmental concern (or at last anything I’ve heard) Why does a small shopping space like this need a parking lot in a city like Tokyo? Norman Foster’s Gerkhin did away with it completely, not to mention its high accessibility to the subway. Part of the experience of omotesando is the stroll, and I really don’t think they should be encouraging (north) American-type take-the-car-to-the-mall culture. A green roof and universal access to a top floor garden would have been more than environmental, but also aestehtically appealing, and would have looked great contrasted with the glass and concrete.