Composed of a series of concentric shapes emanating from a central space, the forms of the Kasai Waterfront project make many symbolic references: tree rings of history, water ripples of progress, and the metaphorical Japanese rose of prosperity.
This sixteen hectare site adjoining Tokyo Bay and adjacent to Kasai Park is remarkable for its unparalleled visibility and exposure. Furthermore, the ground plane is slightly raised to ease the transition to the adjacent train station and provide ground-level parking. A series of concentric shapes emanate from the central space; each successive layer overlaps the previous like a conch shell. At the retail center, which is the core of the project, the forms of the design make multiple references: tree rings, which refer to the client’s rich history, water ripples illustrating forward progress, and the traditional Japanese image of rose petals as a metaphor for prosperity.
At the heart of the scheme the curves pause, enclosing a calm classical court. Formally and symbolically, this place is the center of community, activity and information. Moving out through the dynamic walls from the court to the retail center, visitors encounter a range of urban spaces with a variety of scales, heights and levels of enclosure. Such variety allows returning visitors to encounter a new experience and a feeling of discovery, with a different perception depending on which point they enter the radiating paths. Residential towers rise above the spiral. Through vertical slots between the towers, pedestrians arriving from the train station will glance into the project’s unique layering of street and plazas. Above the four-level retail center, a roof-level botanical garden and cultural park reach toward and reconnects the different project uses. Completing the composition, a five-star hotel is poised adjacent to the residential towers.