Shinagawa Train Station is like Tokyo Central Station one of the most famous place for many tourist visiting Japan or Japanese people. The 2nd train Station in Tokyo area to take the Japanese Shinkansen to Visit Kyoto, Osaka and so on, Shinagawa Train Station is a pretty busy place all week long.
It is also interesting to notice that Shinagawa Train station divide Shinagawa in half, with one side several very famous Hotels for both Japanese and foreign tourist, like the Prince Hotels (there are several) and at the other side of the station you have a huge business complexes where companies like Mitsubishi, Sony, Canon, Kokuyo, NTT, have their own office and building. And this is today this side of Shinagawa that we will visit, an interesting place where buildings meet trees.
Neither residential nor commercial” is how Nendo founder Oki Sato describes his new studio’s location in the Meguro district of Tokyo. “Kind of an in-between area.” As he speaks about his interior for the studio, it starts to sound like its design achieves a similar balancing act, with some provocative results.
Endearing Sato to the location were its convenient access to bullet trains and airports. He was drawn to this 1,500-square-foot space in particular by its openness and generous windows. Basically a trapezoid in plan, it’s now partitioned into seven parallel zones. The front door opens into one sliver, which serves as reception. To the left is the meeting area. To the right, the other five long, narrow zones follow consecutively: model production, product design, architecture, an office for Sato and the management staff, and finally storage.
Van Der Architects, Denenchofu Ota-ku, Tokyo. The name may confuse a bit considering van der Architects’ offices are located in Tokyo, but there’s little doubt in our minds that the design firm’s interior is indeed “inspirational, unusual and motivational” as they advertise themselves to be. Because if you’re going to work in a cubicle, why not design the cubicles to look like a row of wee cabins? The other parts of the offices look equally as playful and creative with spaces that are just as much about having a good time while getting work done (because for creatives, playing is working).
Let’s Visit Tokyo Video 12 Shinagawa Station & Business Area, HDTV 
