PLP Architecture Breaks Ground on Tokyo Cross Park’s Smart Tower

This post outlines the start of construction on the NTT Hibiya Tower in Tokyo. It is the first tower in PLP Architecture’s Tokyo Cross Park masterplan.

This 230‑metre, mixed‑use building is an important prototype for future urban headquarters. The following sections summarize the masterplan context, the tower’s digital and environmental innovations, and the key design and public‑facing elements that make this project notable for architects, engineers, and urban planners.

Project summary: scale, stakeholders and role in urban regeneration

The NTT Hibiya Tower begins a major 6.5‑hectare regeneration in central Tokyo. It is the initial piece of a 1.1‑million‑square‑metre Tokyo Cross Park Vision.

The tower rises to 230 metres and contains about 361,000 square metres of mixed‑use floor area. This includes approximately 150,000 square metres of workplace space designed for distributed and hybrid work patterns.

PLP Architecture serves as Design Architect, Masterplanner, and Placemaking Strategist. Delivery is led by NTT Urban Development in collaboration with Tokyo Electric Power Company.

This project combines large‑scale masterplanning with an enterprise headquarters. The building is positioned as both a corporate nerve centre and a civic asset.

Program, public spaces and cultural amenities

The tower is designed to be more than an office block. The ground level will feature a three‑storey Cross Gate intended as a public interface for events and adaptable visual programming.

Levels 7–10 form an innovation hub aimed at companies, researchers, and institutional partners. Level 9 includes a 400‑seat cultural hall that will reuse materials from NTT’s former building.

This approach integrates the headquarters into the city’s social and cultural fabric. It avoids isolating the building behind a private plaza.

Digital backbone: IOWN and responsive building systems

A key feature of the NTT Hibiya Tower is its integration of NTT’s IOWN (Innovative Optical and Wireless Network) technologies. These systems increase data capacity, lower latency, and reduce energy use at the network layer.

The tower is positioned to host adaptive building systems and digitally responsive environments. High‑bandwidth infrastructure enables shared digital environments and supports remote collaboration.

This approach reduces the need for full physical co‑presence while supporting valuable in‑person interactions. The integration of telecommunications and building systems represents a forward‑looking workplace model.

Sustainability targets and low‑carbon materials

Sustainability is built into both operational and embodied carbon strategies. Office areas target “ZEB Ready” performance with projected energy reductions of over 50 percent compared to conventional offices.

Material choices include recycled aluminium, low‑carbon concrete, and electric arc furnace (EAF) steel. The project also explores lower‑emission energy sources, including hydrogen.

Systems will modulate lighting, HVAC, and spatial arrangements according to occupancy. These measures combine energy efficiency with responsible material use.

Why this matters to the profession

As someone with three decades of experience in architecture and engineering, I see the NTT Hibiya Tower as a testbed for integrating advanced digital infrastructure. It also highlights environmental performance and public programming at scale.

It demonstrates how a corporate headquarters can be designed as a civic generator. It is not just a tenant of a site.

For firms and clients, the lessons are clear: invest early in network infrastructure. Prioritize adaptable public spaces and adopt low‑carbon materials to future‑proof buildings against regulatory and market change.

 
Here is the source article for this story: A Smart City Prototype in Japan: PLP Architecture Breaks Ground on the First Tower of Tokyo Cross Park