Title of Works

Sotsu Yokohama Headquarters Exterior

Organizer / Architect

NIKKEN SEKKEI, LTD.

Award

1996 IES/Award of Merit 1996 Yokohama Urban Design Awards

Address

Kanagawa Kanto Region

Completion

1995

Category

Office

Summary

Diagonally across from Yokohama Port Opening Memorial Hall, this new, nine story building incorporated part of the exterior of the building constructed in 1930 into the design of its facade. The lighting arrangement for this preserved facade was carried out following Yokohama City Urban Design Guidelines.

The bottom four stories are furnished with a preserved facade of terra cotta tiles, while a modern, off-white facade continues from the fifth story up. Since the road is relatively narrow, visibility from the front of the building is rather limited; moreover, the area of the facade itself is rather small. Therefore, we decided on a lighting arrangement that emphasizes particular details, meticulously illuminating each terra cotta tile and installing lamps in the facade's window frames. In addition, by illuminating the very top part of the new building, an overall sense of unity was created.