Nikken Sekkei Ltd

Nikken Journal No. 62: Grand Green Osaka  The Spring 2025 Nikken Journal features one of the company’s biggest ongoing efforts. Conceived under the concept of creating "Osaka MIDORI (GREEN) LIFE,” the Umekita Phase 2 project aims to transform the municipality’s last tract of prime #RealEstate. The 550,000 sqm mixed-use #development centers on a 4.5-hectare #urban park surrounded by high-rise mixed-use buildings and low-rise structures. Designed in collaboration with Seattle-based landscape architecture firm GGN, the project includes a Great Lawn to encourage social interaction, amphitheater-style seating, and a reflective water feature located conveniently near JR Osaka Station. Other standout elements include the 350-meter long "Inspiration Path” aerial walkway that offers panoramic views of the area. A Gate Lantern serves as a landmark entrance.  Embankments create elevation changes that blend public and private spaces, fostering continuity and vibrancy. It is hoped that the project will become a model for #future sustainable developments. Read about the project in full here:  https://lnkd.in/gpd3gui2

Nikken Execs to Speak at NOVA EXPO 2025 Nikken Sekkei executives spoke at the #NOVAEXPO2025 sustainable innovation event on March 14 in #Bangkok, #Thailand. This year’s program theme, “Sustainable Cities and Green Innovation for a Better Future: Regenerative Design,” will be held at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (#BITEC). The event marks the second consecutive year of Nikken Sekkei’s participation. Speakers included Kenji Miyoshi, Building Service Design Group GM in the Engineering Department, Building Service Design Group Associate Hirotaka Kubo, and M&E Engineering Department Associate and Genki Kato. The trio made presentations on the topics of “eco-humanism,” decarbonization, and resiliency, respectively. Created by EEC Academy, the NOVA EXPO (Nova BUILD EXPO 2023) is aimed to be at the epicenter of sustainable #innovation as it explores real-world applications and accessible technologies that shape market demands into opportunities. Nikken Sekkei executives took the stage from 10:00am to 11:00am in Conference Room 1. #Sustainability #SustainableDesign #TechForGood

A Tea Room-inspired Stay Inspired by the concept of ikkyaku ittei (lit. "one guest, one house"), The Chapter Kyoto, a Tribute Portfolio hotel embodies the essence of traditional Japanese #hospitality. Completed in 2021 near the city center, Nikken Space Design’s #InteriorDesign for this project draws on the intimacy and thoughtfulness of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. The 203-room hotel’s artistic details celebrate Kyoto’s cultural legacy, and guest rooms are designed to reflect the serenity and elegance of tea rooms, blending #functionality with #comfort. Interiors reinterpret traditional elements such as tatami mats, latticework, sliding doors, and tea ceremony utensils. A refined and sophisticated ambiance is created with a contemporary touch, including versatile sofas that mimic verandas and night lamps in a single-flower vase motif. The project has garnered a number of honors, including a Kyoto Design Award 2022: a Kyoto Prefectural Governor’s Award, as well as an Asia Pacific Interior Design Awards 2022: Excellence. Nikken Space Design merged with parent Nikken Sekkei in April 2024. Check out the link below for more details:  https://lnkd.in/gaTDEfJ6 Photo credits: Kenji Masunaga

Thoughtful Design for Compassionate Care Located in Fukuoka City on Japan’s westernmost main island of Kyushu, the National Hospital Organization Kyushu Cancer Center is dedicated to delivering high-quality cancer care with the theme of “respect for the feelings of the ill and their families” at heart. A two-phase project completed in 2018, the Center offers advanced treatments across 26 clinical departments, and was ranked as one of the world's best specialized hospitals in #oncology by Newsweek magazine for three consecutive years, from 2021. The Center’s outpatient area features five courtyards of varying sizes, where bright, clear spaces help ease patient anxiety. Patient wards include four-bed rooms designed to maximize natural #light and airflow, while private rooms have personal balconies for added #comfort and #privacy. Equipment shafts are strategically placed along exterior walls, allowing for renovations without interfering with daily operations. Find more details at the URL below.  https://lnkd.in/gVfDMyJx Photo credits: ①② Techni Staff Ltd. ③④ SS Co., Ltd.

Elevated Senior Living in Comfort and Nature Located in Tokyo’s Minato ward, the PARK WELLSTATE NISHIAZABU #senior #residence is designed so that residents can feel the elements of nature, ensuring comfort through immersion in greenery, water, light and wind. Completed in 2024, this 36-floor Nikken Housing System project features 339 independent living units and 60 assisted living units. The #interior, #landscape, lighting, and spa design were created collaboratively to yield fluid indoor-outdoor connections that enrich the living experience. Lower floors feature Jura yellow marble, while the upper floors incorporate glass balustrades, a curtain wall, and a distinctive timber soffit lining to accent the roof line at both podium and tower. A garden with water features blends into the ground-floor interior, creating a sensory-rich space. A wellness pool and tranquil spa occupy the ninth floor, while the 35th and 36th-floor restaurants embrace a sky-inspired biophilic design with elegant interiors and a variety of seating options. Read more at the URL below:  https://lnkd.in/gA7jDjbJ Photo credits: Harunori Noda [Gankohsha]

Global Hub for Mobility and Collaboration Located in Kodaira City, western Tokyo, the Bridgestone Innovation Park repurposed a former factory ground into a global hub for #research, #development, and #collaboration. Completed in 2021 on a 32.6-hectare site, the project also consolidates disparate company functions and streamlines innovation in mobility and #manufacturing, embracing MaaS (Mobility as a Solution) and other concepts. By integrating creativity, connectivity, and experimentation, the project redefines the future of mobility and workspace innovation. The modern "B-Innovation" Hub, a three-story building, features a central atrium with multiple flights of stairs dynamically traversing the space, a Co-creation Office, and a Rough Prototyping Studio. Its versatile "innovation court" also supports flexible workstyles and collaboration. The adjacent "B-Mobility" test course facilitates product testing and prototyping, accelerating the development process. Click on the URL below to learn more. https://lnkd.in/gQPn8gyV Photo credits: Harunori Noda [Gankohsha]

BALMUDA The Store Aoyama: a Five-sense Buying Experience This first flagship store for Tokyo-based luxury home appliance #brand BALMUDA opened its doors in 2021 to a new kind of #retail shopping experience. Located in the tony Aoyama district, the minimalist two-story, Nikken Space Design-crafted interior embodies the brand’s worldview and "Museum+Lounge" concept. BALMUDA's elegant home appliance products are showcased on the first floor as distinct works of art, while the second-floor lounge allows for more intimate #interactive experiences with the products. ⁠ Other features include fair-faced concrete, a modular oak counter, and antique bricks imported from Belgium to add warmth. The nostalgic ambiance of weathered surfaces contrasts with the sleek look of modern manufactured home products. Overhead, unobtrusive track lighting creates a sophisticated atmosphere. The second-floor counter space is outfitted with cooking equipment for workshops and product demonstrations, and facilitates #communication between guests and the sales staff. The project was a Finalist for a 2022 THE PLAN Award, and also garnered a 2022 Bronze Sky Design Award.⁠ Nikken Space Design merged with parent Nikken Sekkei in April 2024. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gi3ebqk6 Photo credits: Kenji Masunaga

History and Nature-inspired Architecture Built on the historic site of Osaka’s Takatsuki Castle, Takatsuki Arts Theatre merges #architecture with nature. Drawing #inspiration from the nearby Hokusetsu mountains, the design incorporates locally sourced #timber, reflecting the beauty of Takatsuki’s forests and historical roots. The theater features three halls and 10 studios designed with strategic “gaps” that encourage free movement, resembling a walk through a park. These gaps enhance sound insulation, while courtyards and wooden louvers invite natural light and greenery, evoking the feel of a forest. The project demonstrates a commitment to #sustainability through its use of building materials. Some 350 cubic meters of local timber were carefully sourced over a three-year time span, minimizing waste while preserving Osaka’s forests. By repurposing wood creatively, the theater embodies environmental care and artistry, and has thus established itself as a cultural landmark. See the images below for more. Photo credits: Akira Ito [aifoto]

Innovative Tokyo High-Rise Living Completed in 2014, the WELLITH TOWER ATAGO TORANOMON is based on a #design approach that harmonizes high-rise living with the natural environment. Located in the prestigious Atago-Toranomon area of Tokyo’s Minato ward near Shiba Park, the 22-story #residential tower sports 110 premium condominium units with enhanced connections to nature, such as optimized airflow, scenic views, and the incorporation of greenery. The reinforced #concrete structure stands as a visionary model for future high-rise urban residences, merging modernity with environmental awareness and demonstrating a symbiotic relationship with the #environment. The project’s innovative features earned it a 2014 Good Design Award. Visit the URL below for more details: https://lnkd.in/gYzjt_3x Photo credits: Kunihiko Ishijima

Sustainable Design for a Time-Honored Firm This Tokyo branch #office for Kyoto-based scale manufacturer Ishida Co., Ltd. combines striking #design with #urban integration, befitting a company with proud roots dating back to the 19th Century. Completed in 2021, its distinctive sloped, stepped roof features atrium spaces across multiple floors, with a #facade of polished concrete and aluminum that complements the urban environment. A colonnade along the east entrance facade creates a community promenade, improving the quality of the street space, connecting the interior and exterior while casting dynamic light patterns throughout the day. Inside, two zones cater to diverse workstyles. The airy "White Zone" offers a focused, glare-free, spacious environment, while the cozy "Wooden Zone" features flexible layouts that encourage collaboration among workers. Sustainability is built into the design, and by utilizing natural ventilation, efficient indirect lighting, and a draft-free air system, the project has achieved "ZEB (zero energy building) ready" status. Comfortable and energy-efficient, it enhances both productivity and the city’s vibrancy, responding to the bustling neighborhood between its nearby subway and JR railway stations. See the images below for more. Photo credits: Ken’ichi Suzuki