Japan Sustainable Building Database

Project Outline

The Honda Wako Building functions to complement Honda Motor's head office located in Aoyama, Tokyo. This project was launched with the expectation that a "base for creation" would be established in combination with the research center constructed under the same premises. Its aim was to create an environment just like an suburban campus with the themes of "co-creation" and "speed."
1) Coexistence with the natural environment
"Midori-no-oka (green hill)" inherits the image of an existing engine plant, and has a parking area under an artificially-created ground level. This layout expresses the car manufacturer's idea of relationship with cars and shows its attitude toward coexistence with the environment.
2) Ubiquitous office
A huge working space measuring 110m by 73m was secured to create an office where co-creation can be realized and all employees can get together and feel a sense of community. This design consequently reduces both the number of stories and the effect on the surrounding environment. The minimized external facing also contributes to a reduced environmental load and initial and running costs.
3) Reducing environmental loads
To make the building environmentally friendly, the owner, the designer, and the constructor worked together to significantly reduce LCCO₂ and achieve zero emissions.

Basic Information

[CASBEE rank]	S  ()
[CASBEE tool used]	CASBEE for New Construction (2006 edition)
[Location]	Wako, Saitama Prefecture
[Completion date]	March, 2005
[Site area]	97,729 m2
[Total floor area]	52,138 m2
[Structure]	CFT structure, S structure, RC structure in part
[Floors]	6 floors above ground
[Owner]	Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
[Designer]	Kume Sekkei Co., Ltd.
[Contractor]	Takenaka Corporation, Shinryo Corporation, Kandenko

Information for visitors

Not permitted

Publication

N/A

Awards

• Judge Encouragement Prize of the 2nd Sustainable Architecture Award (IBEC, 2008)
• 5th Ecobuild Award (IBEC, 2006)
• Excellence Prize of the 7th JIA Environmental Architecture Award (JIA, 2006)
• 48th BCS Award (BCS, 2007)
• Selected Architectural Designs of the Architectural Institute of Japan 2007 (AIJ, 2007)
• JIA Architect of 2005 (JIA, 2005)
• New Office Promotion Prize of the 18th Nikkei New Office Award (NOPA, 2005)
• Good Design Award 2005 (JIDPO, 2005)
• 2005 Sai-no-Kuni Saitama Scenery Award (Saitama Prefecture, 2005)
• 2005 Illuminating Engineering Institute of Japan Illumination Promoting Award (IEIJ, 2005)
• Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Prize of the 26th Green Town Award (Urban Green Space Development Foundation, 2006)