Japan 2020Takanawa Gateway Station
A new station on the Yamanote Loop line in Tokyo will become its 30th. It will open at the same time as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The station name was chosen with the expectation that it will become a new sea and land gateway for Tokyo that is integrated with the “New Town” that is being developed on a 13 hectare site in front of the station.
A large membrane structure roof was placed over the town and station in order to provide a seamless connection between them. The membrane is supported by an Origami shaped frame that is made with steel beams and laminated Japanese cedar members.
Differing from conventional stations, the space on the inside of the station is a bright wide open space with a high ceiling. The combination of the wood frame and white membrane evokes an image of “shoji screens” in Japan that use Japanese handmade paper.
A traditional technique called “Yamato-bari” was used for the walls in which wooden boards are applied to give the wall an uneven surface. This created a warm space on a human scale that is not found in conventional stations.
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