The new tallest building in Japan is here — and the gleaming skyscraper is part of an expansive “modern urban village” in central Tokyo, years in the making.

The tower, with gently curved edges and a crown resembling flower petals, reaches 330 meters in height, with 64 floors above ground. That surpasses the Abeno Harukas skyscraper in Osaka, now Japan’s second tallest building at 300 meters.

The completion of the tower, announced Monday, brings the sprawling Azabudai Hills complex one step closer to its scheduled opening in the fall. The project has been under construction since 2019, with just “final touches” left to do in the coming months, according to a press release by building developer Mori Building Co.

The building, one of several within the development, will be multi-purpose, hosting branded hotel residences, office spaces, a university medical center, retail shops and restaurants, and the largest international school in central Tokyo, according to the release.

Spanning an area of more than 8 hectares, the project aims to revitalize the entire neighborhood, with other on-site facilities including a spa, fitness clubs, an art gallery and a museum. The various structures will make up a “city within a city,” developers said.

“To accommodate local traffic, we even constructed new roads running through the complex,” according to the website. The wider development is expected to accommodate about 20,000 employees and 3,500 residents, along with a projected 25-35 million visitors per year.

The towers were designed by renowned U.S. architecture firm Pelli Clarke & Partners. The U.K.’s Heatherwick Studio designed one of the development’s low-rise structures.

Architects who worked on the project said that the residential interiors pay homage to Japanese craftsmanship and lifestyles, such as the way Japanese homes are usually laid out.

Japan was once known for its technological advances and rapid urban development, though many of its tallest skyscrapers were built before the turn of the century. Other countries have meanwhile raced ahead, constructing ever-taller skylines — the Azabudai Hills skyscraper is still dwarfed by towers in New York, Shanghai and Dubai.

And it will soon have competition nearby, with a new torch-inspired building rising in Tokyo. At 390 meters, Torch Tower will loom above Azabudai Hills when it completes in 2027.

The development around that tower also aims to incorporate greenery and open grounds, and will become “the largest city block” in the Japanese capital, according to its website.

Words to Learn 相关词汇

【容纳】róngnà accommodate provide lodging or sufficient space for

【致敬】zhìjìng pay homage to emulate someone or something in content or style as a means of honoring

日本第一高楼要来了 —— 这座闪亮的摩天大楼历时数年建成，是东京市中心“现代都市村落 ”的一部分。

塔楼的边缘是柔和的曲线，塔冠像花瓣一样，高330米，地上64层，楼高超过了大阪的阿倍野海阔天空大楼 —— 日本目前的第二高楼高300米。

塔楼周一宣布完工，庞大的阿扎布代山综合体距离计划中的秋季开业又近了一步。建筑开发商森大厦株式会社发布的新闻稿称，该项目2019年开工建设，未来几个月只剩下“最后的修饰”。

新闻稿称，塔楼是项目建筑物之一，具备多种用途，包括品牌酒店公寓、办公空间、大学医疗中心、零售商店和餐馆，以及东京市中心最大的国际学校。

项目占地超过8公顷，旨在振兴整个社区，其他设施还包括水疗中心、健身俱乐部、画廊和博物馆。开发商说，这些不同的建筑将构建一个“城中之城”。

网站介绍：为整合交通，我们建造了贯穿整个建筑群的新道路。整个项目预计将容纳约2万名员工和3500名居民，以及每年2500-3500万游客。

主要的大楼由美国著名的佩里•克拉克建筑师事务所设计的。英国的赫斯维克工作室设计了该项目中的一个低层建筑。

参与项目的建筑师说，住宅的内部装修向日本的工艺和生活方式致敬，比如采用日本住宅常见的布局。

日本曾以其技术进步和城市的快速发展闻名于世，尽管许多高楼建成于上个世纪。期间，其他国家也在飞速发展，城市的天际线越来越高 —— 与纽约、上海和迪拜的高楼相比，阿扎布代山塔楼仍然相形见绌。

即使在本地，它也很快就会遇到竞争。一座灵感来自火炬的新建筑将在东京崛起。火炬大楼高390米，预计2027年竣工，建成后将俯视阿扎布代山塔楼。

网站介绍，火炬大楼的周边开发项目也将融入绿植和开放空间，届时将成为日本首都“最大的城市街区”。(SD-Agencies)