If you’ve been to Shibuya Station recently, you’ll have seen one area in particular that’s filled with crowds, noise and trucks; and it’s not the meeting place around the famous statue of Hachiko.
It’s the massive redevelopment project currently underway to revitalise the district and deliver a completely new-looking Shibuya by 2027. Latest pictures of the next high-rise in the pipeline reveal just how amazing life in Neo-Tokyo will be.
The areas undergoing development have been divided into four blocks: Shibuya Station, Shibuya Station South, Sakuragaoka and Dogenzaka. Tokyu Corporation, JR East, and Tokyo Metro are all involved in the revitalisation project, which includes construction of a number of high-rise buildings and even the resurrection of a local historical river with new water-treating technologies.
▼ Visitors to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will see a very new Shibuya.
Three high-rises, known as the East, West and Central Buildings, are set to appear above Shibuya Station. First images of the East Building show a stunning rooftop with a relaxing green area, an emergency helipad and plenty of seating spaces to enjoy the amazing views.
The East Building will be 230 metres (755 feet) high, with seven floors underground and 47 above ground, making it the tallest building in the area and providing views stretching all the way to Mt Fuji. Scheduled for completion in 2019, one year ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, the lower floors will feature shops and commercial areas while areas above the 15th floor will house offices.
The building will also feature a special space designated for commuters unable to return home during times of disaster. After thousands of people were left stranded at Shibuya Station following the suspension of train services in Tokyo in the wake of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, this building feature is a move that’s being applauded by urban planners.
If this is just a taste of things to come for visitors to Shibuya in the future, we can’t wait to see what other projects are waiting to be revealed. With new building designs to hang all those futuristic LED screens from, we’re finally getting one step closer to the Neo-Tokyo of our dreams!
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