Nihonbashi is a historical commercial area in Tokyo. Undergone several times of urban transformation, the area accommodates architectural styles from the Edo Period, colonial architecture, 20th to 21st Century high-rise buildings. The urban rezoning project challenges the existing highway which covers up the Japan Bridge (Nihonbashi) - which marks Pointe Zero of Tokyo.
Each of the 7 streetscape responses to their specific surroundings and needs of that area. The height of the podium remains consistent with the 26m cornice line and 31 height limit of the Neo-Classical facades on the Chuo Tori side. The southern side of the site faces the Nihon River and Nihonbashi. It is proposed to remove the existing highway to reveal the artefact beneath and the river bank area will become part of the waterfront promenade.