Toyo Ito & Associates - Tod’s Omotesando

Toyo Ito & Associates
Tod’s Omotesando
Tokyo, Japan

The facade of criss-crossed concrete braces reinterprets the silhouettes of the elm trees lining the street.

Photo © Edmund Sumner

The Tod’s building, located on Omotesando, the famous tree-lined avenue in Tokyo’s Aoyama district, is wrapped in a skin of criss-crossed concrete braces and glass that mimics the trees lining the street.

Photo © Edmund Sumner

Light enters the building through the clear glass that fills the gaps between the concrete braces on the north side frontal facade. Opaque glass towards the south, facing rows of low private houses, brings additional daylight into the building.

Photo © Edmund Sumner

The concrete braces also serve as space dividers inside the building where the natural materials, stone, wood and leather, reflect the quality of Tod's leather goods.

Photo © Edmund Sumner

The top floor serves as a boardroom with a terraced roof garden.

Photo © Edmund Sumner

When the spaces between the braces are lit from within at night it creates the effect of silhouetted tree branches.

Photo © Edmund Sumner

“Despite this apparent minimalism, Tod's displays none of the sombreness and intellectual snobbery that typifies much contemporary retail architecture. There is a lightness of touch with Ito, a humour, and far greater sense of the drama of shopping.”
Yuki Sumner/The Guardian

Drawing courtesy Toyo Ito & Associates
Site Plan

Drawing courtesy Toyo Ito & Associates
First Floor Plan

Drawing courtesy Toyo Ito & Associates
Seventh Floor Plan

Drawing courtesy Toyo Ito & Associates
Section

Total area: 2,448.84 square meters
Completed: 2004

Photographed by: Edmund Sumner

Architect: Toyo Ito & Associates
General contractor: Takenaka Corporation
Structural Engineer: OAK Inc.
Mechanical Engineer: ES Associates Co., Ltd.
Lighting Engineer: Lightdesign Inc.
Manufacturers (furniture): Modar s.r.l.
Fixtures and fittings (shop): Garde U.S. P CO., Ltd.

The branching design was based on Ito’s Serpentine Gallery Pavilion (2002) in London.

Photo courtesy Serpentine Gallery

Toyo Ito was announced as the 2006 winner of one of architecture’s most prestigious prizes, the Royal Gold Medal.

Ito will be presented with the Royal Gold Medal at the RIBA on 15 February 2006.

“Toyo Ito has been an inspiration for generations of architects worldwide since his work started to receive international acclaim in the 1970s. For thirty years he has been a leading figure in architecture and I am delighted that he has accepted the Royal Gold Medal.”
Jack Pringle, RIBA President

October 31, 2005





				Features
		Toyo Ito & Associates Tod’s Omotesando Tokyo, Japan The facade of criss-crossed concrete braces reinterprets the silhouettes of the elm trees lining the street. Photo © Edmund Sumner The Tod’s building, located on Omotesando, the famous tree-lined avenue in Tokyo’s Aoyama district, is wrapped in a skin of criss-crossed concrete braces and glass that mimics the trees lining the street. Photo © Edmund Sumner Photo © Edmund Sumner Light enters the building through the clear glass that fills the gaps between the concrete braces on the north side frontal facade. Opaque glass towards the south, facing rows of low private houses, brings additional daylight into the building. Photo © Edmund Sumner Photo © Edmund Sumner Photo © Edmund Sumner The concrete braces also serve as space dividers inside the building where the natural materials, stone, wood and leather, reflect the quality of Tod's leather goods. Photo © Edmund Sumner Photo © Edmund Sumner The top floor serves as a boardroom with a terraced roof garden. Photo © Edmund Sumner Photo © Edmund Sumner When the spaces between the braces are lit from within at night it creates the effect of silhouetted tree branches. Photo © Edmund Sumner “Despite this apparent minimalism, Tod's displays none of the sombreness and intellectual snobbery that typifies much contemporary retail architecture. There is a lightness of touch with Ito, a humour, and far greater sense of the drama of shopping.” Yuki Sumner/The Guardian Drawing courtesy Toyo Ito & Associates Site Plan Drawing courtesy Toyo Ito & Associates First Floor Plan Drawing courtesy Toyo Ito & Associates Seventh Floor Plan Drawing courtesy Toyo Ito & Associates Section Total area: 2,448.84 square meters Completed: 2004 Photographed by: Edmund Sumner Architect: Toyo Ito & Associates General contractor: Takenaka Corporation Structural Engineer: OAK Inc. Mechanical Engineer: ES Associates Co., Ltd. Lighting Engineer: Lightdesign Inc. Manufacturers (furniture): Modar s.r.l. Fixtures and fittings (shop): Garde U.S. P CO., Ltd. The branching design was based on Ito’s Serpentine Gallery Pavilion (2002) in London. Photo courtesy Serpentine Gallery Toyo Ito was announced as the 2006 winner of one of architecture’s most prestigious prizes, the Royal Gold Medal. Ito will be presented with the Royal Gold Medal at the RIBA on 15 February 2006. “Toyo Ito has been an inspiration for generations of architects worldwide since his work started to receive international acclaim in the 1970s. For thirty years he has been a leading figure in architecture and I am delighted that he has accepted the Royal Gold Medal.” Jack Pringle, RIBA President October 31, 2005