Shibuya Station Sakuragaoka District Type 1 Urban Redevelopment

Shibuya Sakura Stage, the Type 1 Urban Redevelopment project in Sakuragaoka, is a key part of the once-in-a-century large-scale redevelopment around Shibuya Station. Covering approximately 2.6 hectares south of JR Shibuya Station, it includes two high-rise towers and supporting buildings. The SHIBUYA-side tower has 39 above-ground floors and stands approximately 179 meters tall, while the SAKURA-side tower has 30 floors and reaches approximately 127 meters. Together they form a new southwestern gateway to the station. The development's defining achievement is removing the longstanding access barriers between Sakuragaokacho and Shibuya Station: pedestrian bridges, public passages and sunken plazas overcome the elevated Route 246 and JR railway, connecting a neighborhood that had been close in distance but difficult to reach‍. The network includes the station's new south ticket gates, a northern public passage toward Shibuya Stream, and an underground connection beneath Route 246 to the station's south exit. These multi-level routes improve accessibility and circulation, turning Sakuragaoka into a new center of activity.

Design Concept and Features

Reconnecting the City: The redevelopment aims to resolve urban fragmentation and create a more convenient, attractive neighborhood. Previously, the expressway and railway separated Sakuragaokacho from the station, leaving access through narrow bridges or underpasses. The design introduces a multi-level connection strategy: broad pedestrian platforms link neighborhoods at ground level, second-floor walkways connect the station and buildings, and new underground routes pass beneath roads directly to station facilitiest. These interventions integrate the once-isolated Sakuragaoka entrance with central Shibuya, connecting pedestrian flows, transport and public space and completing the Greater Shibuya renewal vision. People can now move more easily between station platforms and the new district without complicated stair routes, marking a further step in Shibuya's development as a multi-level city.

Mixed Uses and Neighborhood Vitality: Shibuya Sakura Stage balances a range of complementary uses. The SHIBUYA tower primarily contains advanced office space for major international headquarters such as Google, with retail and an innovation exchange center below. The SAKURA tower includes 155 premium residences under the Branz Shibuya Sakuragaoka name and serviced apartments. Approximately 37 shops and restaurants, outdoor plazas and landscaped walks support activity throughout the day. Residences, offices, retail and public facilities are distributed vertically and across separate volumes to reduce visual bulk and maintain daylight and views. The towers connect at their bases through bridges on multiple levels, creating a continuous elevated network. A shared open plaza facing the street can accommodate markets and events. Together, these measures establish an integrated, mixed-use urban district, active during the working day and welcoming in the evening, extending Shibuya's established energy.

Leadfu's One-Stop Integrated Services

We participated in curtain wall construction for the towers and connecting bridges and fabricated and installed metalwork in selected public areas. The project includes pedestrian bridges with multiple connection points and large glazed canopies over sunken plazas, requiring careful coordination of complex interfaces. Our integrated approach ensured continuity between sections. For the two towers, we supplied unitized glass curtain wall systems for typical floors and large-format ground-floor glazing. Limited site space led us to prefabricate more than 85% of components and use just-in-time delivery in installation sequence, reducing storage requirements. For the public pedestrian bridges, BIM simulations coordinated complex steel and glass assemblies and installation sequences, allowing bridge lifting during short overnight railway work windows. This integrated service shortened construction time and improved quality while maintaining operations at busy Shibuya Station.

Spatial Planning and Facade Design

• Integrated Functions:The development comprises two towers and several lower buildings. The SHIBUYA tower offers approximately 60,000 square meters of offices, multiple retail levels and a large shared lobby. The SAKURA tower contains premium residences and serviced apartments with separate entrances, lobbies and sky gardens for privacy and comfort. Approximately 3,000 square meters of landscaped plazas and paths connect the station's west exit, the new northern public passage and surrounding neighborhoods. Tiered seating, resting areas and regular markets enrich community life. The plan integrates a transport hub, commercial offices, urban housing and public space.
• Energy-Efficient Facade:The towers follow Shibuya's urban-design guidelines, combining glass curtain walls and horizontal shading. Glazing modules vary subtly with height. The SHIBUYA tower tapers upward and uses more transparent glass near the top to reflect the sky and reduce perceived mass. Balconies and openings in the SAKURA tower's residential levels create a vertical rhythm. Lightweight steel and glass bridges limit obstruction of street views. Double-pane Low-E glass, intelligent shading and selected green walls improve energy performance and reduce heat-island effects. Both buildings passed environmental assessments and meet Tokyo's green-building standards.
• Sustainability and Innovation:The project preserves traces of the former elevated railway associated with the Tamagawa Electric Railway as a public-art display in the new plaza, sharing local transport history. Pedestrian-oriented planning reduces car dependence, while reclaimed-water systems and rain gardens improve environmental performance. Disaster preparedness includes plazas that can serve as refuge areas and stored food and water in the buildings. These measures transform the former congested district into a safer, more accessible and greener community.

The Sakuragaoka redevelopment reconnects long-separated urban spaces and adds a neighborhood combining commercial activity with everyday livability. Its public connections and multifunctional spaces demonstrate urban renewal centered on people and sustainability, marking an important step toward the next generation of Greater Shibuya.

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