After receiving a well deserved acclamation for the ‘100 Colours’ installations, Tokyo-based French architect Emmanuelle Moureaux has kicked off 2015 with yet another colourful architectural project. Moureaux has designed a colorful facade exterior for the Nakaaoki Branch of the Sugamo Shinkin Bank in Tokyo.
Since the site is located on the corner of a major intersection, there is a frequent movement of cars, bicycles and pedestrians. Considering this characteristic of the location as a focal point, the facade is designed to be rhythmical that changes expression as people view it from different angles. Colours appear in and out from the rhythmical repetition of cubes, dancing like musical notes playing rainbow melody.
The facade is composed of cubes of four different depths. Small elevated gardens are built inside 12 cubes, where the seasonal changes in nature are expressed by seasonal flowers like marigold, lavender, and growing trees such as olive tree. Gardens can be seen from the open space on the first floor, and from the financing section and cafeteria on the second floor. Sunlight is filtered through the foliage of elevated gardens on the South facing facade, providing a harmonious and warm atmosphere inside the bank.
The colours, flowers and trees appear in and out from the repetition of floating cubes, playing rainbow melody. The melody spreads happiness and comfort to visitors and to the people in the local community.
