The facade of this building by Kengo Kuma and Associates is the star of the show, so-to-speak. Aluminum die-cast panels are set slightly off the glass secondary facade, creating a rainscreen of sorts, behind which equipment such as watering hoses and downpipes are installed, allowing the external facade to be kept clear.
Made of monoblock casting from decayed styrene foam, the aluminum panels also double as planters for surface dwelling plants which will grow over the building over time. Each panel is slanted in some way, which together with the vegetation, serve to create a facade which is incredibly alive, while being slightly understated.
photohraphy by © Kengo Kuma & Associates
Courtesy of Kengo Kuma and Associates