AIA International in Japan - Azabudai Hills: A New Urban Vision
When: Saturday 26 April 2025 @ 03:00-07:00 (Eastern US Time) / 16:00-20:00 (Japan Standard Time)
Where: Azabudai Hills, Tokyo
Cost: Free of charge for all (including AIA and non-AIA members)
We invite you to join us for an exclusive event all about Azabudai Hills, featuring a tour, a panel discussion and social time.
We have a choice of programs on offer:
Program 1 - Azabudai Hills Tour (Limited to 120 people)
Please note that the number of participants may be reduced depending on crowd conditions during the weekend.
Tour Group Division
The tour will be divided into groups of 20 participants each, as follows:
Development & Design Tour (Japanese & English) – Led by Mori Building
Technical Tour (Japanese & English) – Led by North Glass
Communication During the Tour
To enhance the experience, we recommend using the Zello app, which allows participants to listen to live commentary from the guide.
Download Links:
Setup Instructions:
Download and install the app in advance.
Register as a user and join the designated tour channel (details to be provided).
Use earphones for better audio clarity.
Safety & Conduct
Follow the Guide’s Instructions: To ensure a smooth experience, please stay with the group and follow directions at all times. As weekends are typically crowded, maintaining group cohesion is essential. Depending on the number of visitors on the day of the tour, we may need to limit the number of participants.
Respect the Venue: Please avoid touching displays or entering restricted areas.
Photography & Recording: Allowed unless otherwise specified by the guide.
Program 2 - Panel Presentation & Social Gathering (Limited to 120 people)
You may choose to participate in one or both activities. The number of participants is limited for each program and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Event Description
Participants will be split into English-speaking and Japanese-speaking groups for a guided tour led by Midori Omori, Executive at Mori Building, alongside her team and Paul Gao, CEO at North Glass, alongside his team.
Following this, a panel presentation and discussion will be held, featuring Naomi Sato, the current President of the Japan Institute of Architects, who will present on the Tokyo International Forum. Kenzo Nakakoji from Mori Building will provide insights into Azabudai Hills, showcasing the latest developments in Tokyo from the developer's perspective. Additionally, the CEO of North Glass will offer a technical viewpoint on the project. After the presentations, there will be a panel discussion where each speaker will delve deeper into their respective projects and share further insights. The event will conclude with a two-hour social gathering at Hills House, offering ample time for networking and interaction, along with food and beverages.
Presenters
JIA President Naomi Sato
Mori Building Executive Midori Omori
Mori Building Project Planning & Design Manager Kenzo Nakakoji
North Glass CEO Paul Gao
Host: AIA International Vice-President / President- Elect Segene Park
Moderator: AIA International Adjunct Director / Silas Chiow
Program 1: Azabudai Hills Tour
Meeting point: Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower, Ground Lobby
1 Chome-3-1 Azabudai, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0041
https://www.azabudai-hills.com/
16:00: Tour in English & Japanese (60 minutes)
Hosted by Mori Building and North Glass, featuring Mori Building Executive Midori Omori and North Glass CEO Paul Gao.
Participants will be divided into English-speaking and Japanese-speaking groups.
Each group will be required to download a smartphone application (further details will be shared later).
Program 2: Panel Presentation & Social Gathering
Meeting point: Hills Tower Plaza 4F, 33rd Floor
17:00: Panel Presentation in English (45 minutes), featuring:
Tokyo International Forum (AIA Award-winning project) – Presented by JIA President Naomi Sato.
Azabudai Hills – Presented by Mori Building Kenzo Nakakoji.
Latest glass façade technology – Presented by Paul Gao, CEO of North Glass, and a specialist in glass manufacturing engineering.
17:30: Panel Discussion in English (15 minutes). The session will conclude with a brief discussion of:
Their projects.
Glass façade innovations.
Emerging trends and technologies.
Design aspects.
18:00: Social Gathering at Hills House (120 minutes)
Takes place after the panel presentation.
Hosted at Hills House on the 33rd floor.
Speaker Bios
Ar. Naomi Sato, JIA, President, Japan Institute of Architects;
Principal, Naomi Sato Architects
Naomi Sato was born in Tokyo in 1955. He graduated from the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering at The University of Tokyo in 1979. Later, in 1988, he obtained a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.
His professional career began in 1979 when he joined Kiyonori Kikutake Architects and Associates, where he worked until 1986. Following this, he moved to the United States and worked at I.M.Pei & Partners from 1988 to 1990, and Rafael Viñoly Architects from 1990 to 1996 serving as the project director for the Tokyo International Forum. After finishing the project, he established his own practice, Naomi Sato Architects, where he has been serving as the representative director since 1996.
Throughout his career, he has been involved in numerous notable projects, including Musashino Kichijoji Theater, Iwaki Performing Arts Center (ALIOS), and Aoyama OM Square. His work has been recognized with several prestigious awards. In 2010, he received the Building Contractors Society BCS Prize, the United Stats Institute of Theater Technology Merit Award for Iwaki Performing Arts Center (ALIOS), and The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America Merit Award for the same project. Additionally, he was honored with The International Architecture Awards in the same year. In 2009, his contributions to architecture were acknowledged through the Japan Institute of Architects (JIA) Excellence in Architecture Selection and the Illuminating Engineering Institute of Japan for Iwaki Performing Arts Center (ALIOS). He also received the Illuminating engineering Society of North America Merit Award in 2009 for his work on Aoyama OM Square.
Through his extensive experience and innovative architectural designs, Naomi Sato has been elected the President of Japan Institute of Architects since June 2022, and continues to make significant contributions to the field of architecture.
Ar. Midori Omori (Mori Building), Specialized Executive Officer, Experience-based New Activities Planning Unit, Project Planning Dept., Urban Planning and Development Div. Mori Building Co., Ltd.
Midori Omori joined Mori Building Co., Ltd. In 1985. She was in charge of designing of Mori Art Museum, offices and residences in Roppongi Hills before being assigned to Urban Planning and Development Division where she was responsible for management of overseas architects. After the opening of Roppongi Hills, she was responsible for marketing and events in Town Management Department and was involved in the establishment of community development, including the launch of Hills Life magazine, planning and management of Hills Café / Space, etc. After returning to Urban Planning and Development Division, she led the development of Toranomon Hills as the general manager of Pre-opening office in Project Planning Department. Currently, she is engaged in planning and design direction of new projects including Toranomon-Azabudai Project.
Kenzo Nakakoji, Project Planning and Design Manager, Mori Building Co., Ltd.
Kenzo Nakakoji joined Mori Building Co., Ltd.'s Project Planning Department in 2016 and has since contributed to a diverse range of projects. His experience includes significant roles in the project planning and design of the Toranomon Hills Business Tower, Toranomon Hills Station Tower, and the Azabudai Hills complex, collaborating with both international and local architects and interior designers. Additionally, he played a key role in the planning and design coordination for the Hotel Toranomon Hills and Janu Tokyo. Currently, Kenzo is engaged in the planning, coordination and design management of new initiatives at Mori Building.
Before his tenure at Mori Building, Kenzo worked as an architect and project manager with Ingenhoven Architects in Dusseldorf, Germany, handling projects across Singapore, Europe, and Tokyo. He holds a Master of Architecture (M.Arch I) from Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD), where he was honored with the Takenaka Internship.
Paul Gao, CEO & General Manager of NorthGlass
Mr. Paul Gao is the CEO of NorthglassGroup and General Manager of Tianjin NorthGlass, the leading manufacturer of specialty and oversized architectural glass for the global construction industry.
In these roles, Mr. Gao’s primary responsibilities include directing major corporate decisions, managing the overall operations and resources of the company, and strategically developing the company’s business to achieve long-term success.
Mr. Gao’s 30 years of experience and focus on the research and development of specialty glass processes enabled him to steer thecompany to become the leader in custom and oversize glass manufacturing. His commitment to expanding glass processing innovation and charting new ground in super size and curved-shaped tempered glass has led NorthGlassto be the world’s first manufacturer of 3.6m x 18.00m, 3.3x24m as well as 8.00m x 4.00m tempered and curved architectural glass.
In 2012, Mr. Gao directed the building of the new 100,000 square meters production facility outside of Tianjin and combined the latest state-of-the-art glass processing equipment and special machinery for comprehensive, efficient, and high-quality architectural glass fabrication under one roof.
Ar. Segene Park, AIA
Vice President / President-Elect, AIA International
Senior Professional / Architect / Masterplanner / Project Manager, Nikken Sekkei
Segene Park, born in Seoul in 1973, is a distinguished architect and master planner. He moved to Chicago in 1990 and graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) in 2003. Segene began his career at Epstein, Annex 5, where his innovative designs earned numerous awards and recognition in prestigious publications like Architectural Record, the New York Times, and AIA Magazine.
In 2007, Segene joined Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) in Chicago, working on international projects, including a 354-meter tower in Russia showcased at the Venice Biennale. After relocating to Tokyo in 2010, Segene shifted his focus to urban planning. At Nikken Sekkei, he led his team to win several international competitions and prestigious architecture awards.
Segene's portfolio includes residential buildings, offices, hotels, museums, and large-scale urban planning projects such as Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and smart cities. He is experienced in design and managing projects from small sites to large master plans covering over 10,000 hectares.
As President of AIA Japan in 2021 and AIA International Secretary in 2023-2024, Segene has demonstrated leadership in the global architectural community. He has also supported the arts through the Cliff Dwellers and CD Arts Foundation. A respected educator, Segene has been a guest critic at Meiji University and Nihon University and has organized Urban Plan Workshops with ULI Japan. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Nihon University.
Segene continues to inspire with his contributions to sustainable design, speaking at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and the ULI Asia Pacific Summit.
Ar. Silas Chiow, AIA, Adjunct Director | Sponsorship Director, AIA International;
Partner, Chief Strategist,Urban Development, urbangene
A licensed architect with 38 years of experience as an architect, urban planner, and project manager, Silas Chiow has helped clients successfully define their vision, goals, and requirements for a wide range of complex projects: new districts, large-scale master plans, mixed-use developments, and high-performance buildings for commercial, office, hospitality, cultural, educational, and healthcare purposes.
Silas Chiow endeavors to increase the “value” of every project he works on no matter what scale or location. He understands that successful development begins with a great vision. A great vision evolves from understanding the users, the project location, and the client’s goals. To successfully realize a vision into a reality will require collaboration between the client team, planner, architects, and related stakeholders. Silas Chiow’s extensive experiences working with local government, planning bureaus, public and private clients have given him the wisdom and insight to drive both the client and design team to deliver high “value” for any given development.
Silas Chiow believes in knowledge sharing of best practices and is an industry thought leader. He founded the Shanghai Chapter of the American Institutes of Architect (AIA) and was the Chapter President in 2019. He frequently works with AIA, ASSC, ULI, CTBUH in organizing lectures and conferences, and exhibitions on urban regeneration, sustainability, and green building design. He advocates fighting climate change and encourages his clients and his professional colleagues to join him.
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Tour Sponsor
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