Shinjuku Gardens, Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo, Japan

Visualization © Cheungvogl

Picture © Cheungvogl

Photo © Cheungvogl

Architects: Cheungvogl

Location: Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
Year: 2021
Client: Privat

Shinjuku Gardens (tentative working title) replaces an existing open car parking lot (80 parking lots, ratio of 27.5 sqm of GFA per parking space) with a 2-storey car park structure, which accommodates an additional 83 parking spaces (total number of 163 parking lots, ratio of 19.6 sqm of GFA per parking space). The structure occupies 22% less site coverage compared to the existing layout, leaving more open green space to the neighbouring site and allowing light and air into the already dense urban environment.

The façade and rooftop of the car park structure form a natural growing biotope of local wildflowers and weeds. The soft-cladding of the structure is characterised by deep edges that allow grass and flowers to coat the exterior of the frame, creating layers of green living walls as enclosures to the structure. Visually, the architecture enriches the community with layers of green curtains, while shielding the views of parked cars. The rooftop garden is freely accessible to the public.

The structural columns and slabs of the interiors are canvases for street artists, who are invited to transform the structure into a Street Art Gallery.