Tange Associates

Building Outline
Site area: 1,630.98m2
Building area: 1,290.78 m2
Floor space: 4,769.24 m2
No. of floors: 3 floors, 1 basement floor
Maximum height: 21.00m
Structure: steel structure, partial steel-framed reinforced concrete

Exterior perspective drawing

Nagoya Toyopet Dankei-dori Branch (new construction)

Nagoya Toyopet Corporation (NTP) is a car dealership with 67 Toyota and 4 Lexus sales branches as part of NTP’s wide range of businesses including car sales, rental and leasing, housing, and marine businesses. The abbreviation “NTP” has also become a company motto meaning “Nice To People,” expressing the corporate emphasis on serving the local community. The company’s aim is to be the best car dealership in town.
Tange Associates was officially appointed to design the Dankei-dori Branch, which is positioned as the flagship branch for Nagoya Toyopet. Before starting the design process, we held multiple meetings to identify the true objectives for this branch and then created a design that would make them a reality. As a result, rather than just a car showroom, the Dankei-dori Branch became a place where people in the community could gather and interact, as a kind of neighborhood community center. Tange Associates was responsible for design and construction management and construction was handled by Toyota Home Nagoya and Shimizu Corporation.

Objectives for Nagoya Toyopet Dankei-dori Branch
Showroom space for community use
The interior spatial structure of the showroom allows visitors to experience the atmosphere of both European streets and Japanese avenues. The design offers a feeling of exterior space that gives the sense of a café terrace or tea shop where people can sit casually. Behind that area, we created a peaceful interior space with sofas where people can relax. Because there is a hierarchy of spaces, visitors are able to choose the atmosphere that matches their feelings at the time. In any of the spaces, it is possible to show cars at their best, placed smartly on the streets created in the showroom.

A space where people can interact
This building is not only a showroom for people to come to look at cars; rather it is a place where people can drop by for a cup of coffee or tea and conversation. In addition, a multi-purpose space is available for the local community to hold classes in yoga, flower arrangement, dance, and other activities. Members of the community have reacted favorably to these opportunities and interaction between people has increased to make the facility a new community gathering place in the area.

A showroom that is a symbol of the area
The exterior of the building was designed with soft, attractive curves making it welcoming to both men and women. The design motif is the beautiful bodyline of the Toyota 2000GT and a subtlety that gives the impression of speed and airflow. The building’s wall-greening and solar panels create a futuristic symbol that places value on both form and the environment.

First-time collaboration with Shuhei Hasado
Shuhei Hasado is a famous Japanese plaster craftsman known for the plaster titles he made for the NHK television serial drama “Sanada Maru.” This is the first collaboration between Shuhei Hasado and Tange Associates. We consulted with each other about the project several times and Tange Associates visited Hasado’s atelier on a number of occasions and witnessed his passion for his work. Through the exchange of ideas we developed several prototypes that would allow the plaster art and the architecture to work together to enhance the appearance of the 60m long wall surface in the showroom. We believe that together the plaster art and architecture achieve a harmony that provides a welcoming, gentle community space.