Laguarda.Low Architects of New York City has unveiled the design for Grandberry Center, a 750,000 sqft (69,677 sqm) transit-oriented development in Machida, in Tokyo’s west.
The development replaces a mall and train station with a landscaped shopping village that connects directly to the newly designed Tsuruma Park. With an undulating roof, tiered gardens and waterfall, the new train depot will create a dramatic sense of arrival. From the platform, a grand stair leads visitors to the multi-level shopping centre experience, including a local food market, retail stores and a cinema.
Arranged in a simple loop, the retail village references a European town typology, with parking in the centre. Throughout the loop are open and covered plazas that provide dynamic spaces for socialising, leisure and entertainment.
The buildings comprise a mix of stone, steel, wood, glass and green walls. The form, scale and materials of the buildings are designed to create variation within the development and to blend with the surrounding residential neighborhood.
Laguarda.Low’s design removes a street to unify Grandberry Center with nature. A new park entrance transforms the natural slope into a dramatic stair, with the ground rising to create a green roof for a restaurant at the park threshold.
The firm also designed the main promenade, which features cherry blossom trees and a landscape plan with designated spaces for a skate park, urban farm, sculpture garden, children’s playground, lawn and library.
Construction will start next month with completion expected in September 2019.
Granberry is one of seven Laguarda.Low-designed developments in Japan. The firm has received a silver award in the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) new development category for its design of Aeon Mall Okinawa Rycom, the largest multi-storey commercial building in western Japan.
