Omotesando Hills

A low-rise mixed-use complex on Omotesando, opened in February 2006. Designed by Tadao Ando, it keeps to just three floors above ground — matching the canopy of the zelkova-lined boulevard — with three additional basement levels.

Use

Office tower

Area

Shibuya City

Completed

2006

Floors

3 above ground, 3 below

Total floor area

approx. 34,061 m²

Developer

Mori Building

Architect

Tadao Ando Architect & Associates

A Low-Rise Landmark Along the Zelkova Avenue

On the broad, tree-lined stretch of Omotesando in Shibuya Ward, a mixed-use complex opened on 11 February 2006 that took a very different approach from the towers that define most major Japanese developments. Omotesando Hills — developed by Mori Building and designed by internationally acclaimed architect Tadao Ando — rises to only three floors above street level. Three more floors extend underground, giving the building a total floor area of approximately 34,061 square meters despite its unassuming height.

The design decision was rooted in the zelkova trees that shade both sides of Omotesando. Ando chose to keep the building’s roofline below the tree canopy, ensuring that the distinctive double row of keyaki trees would remain the visual signature of the avenue. On a boulevard where height would have been commercially tempting, the restraint produced a building that reads as part of the street rather than an interruption of it.

A Spiral Route Through the Floors

Inside, a gradually sloping ramp winds from the basement levels to the top floor, following a continuous spiral that echoes the gentle incline of Omotesando itself. The sequence draws visitors through the building’s commercial spaces without the abrupt transitions of a conventional elevator-and-staircase department store. Ando’s signature exposed concrete appears throughout, providing a textured backdrop for the boutiques and galleries that line the route.

One section of the complex — a small wing set apart from the main building — preserves a remnant of the historic apartment block that previously occupied the site, maintaining a physical link to the history of the address. After dark, indirect lighting softens the concrete surfaces and gives the interior a different, quieter mood than its daytime bustle.

Summary

Omotesando Hills opened in February 2006 with three floors above ground and three below, achieving a total floor area of approximately 34,061 square meters. Designed by Tadao Ando for developer Mori Building, the complex deliberately kept its height in check to respect the zelkova canopy along Omotesando. A walk through its spiraling interior offers one of the city’s most distinctive retail experiences — unhurried, architecturally considered, and deeply embedded in the character of the boulevard outside.