ETFE membrane roof installed on TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY THE LINKPILLAR 1

(Tokyo headquarters: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; Osaka headquarters: Yodogawa-ku, Osaka; President: Yumi Nomura), a company involved in large membrane structures (tent structures), civil engineering and logistics materials, and other products, has announced the opening of “THE LINKPILLAR 1” on March 27, 2025. Gateway Park, the second-floor station plaza connecting THE LINKPILLAR 1 and JR Takanawa Gateway Station, which opens on March 27, 2025, a large membrane roof (awning) made of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) film, which is both highly transparent and durable, was installed. The membrane is installed on the eave ceiling under the glass roof as a double layer of 250 μ thick transparent and white film, softly diffusing the transmitted light to create a gentle and comfortable space.

ETFE film is much thinner and lighter than glass while providing light transmission comparable to glass, thus minimizing the load on the structure. The flexibility of the film structure also allows for free design of any form, including curved surfaces. The use of this next-generation construction material is spreading both in Japan and overseas, as it allows in natural light while providing protection for visitors in the event of rain.

Gateway Park, a plaza space directly connected to the station, serves as a bright and welcoming entrance for many visitors from Japan and abroad, and is expected to become even more lively with the full opening of “TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY”. The project, which boasts a development area of approximately 9.5 hectares, is one of the largest urban development complexes in central Tokyo, with a concentration of offices, hotels, cultural facilities, residences, and other amenities.

We also constructed the membrane roof for the JR Takanawa Gateway Station, which will open in 2020. The Takanawa Gateway Station, the first new station on the JR Yamanote Line in 49 years, has attracted much attention because of its design supervised by architect Kengo Kuma. The 4,000 m2 roof is made of a material reminiscent of Japanese paper, with multiple folds on the exterior designed to resemble origami (folding paper) and light filtering through the ceiling to resemble a shoji (paper sliding door).

We will continue to promote “human- and environment-friendly space creation” in places that are the face of the city by taking advantage of the characteristics of membrane structures.

Client: East Japan Railway Company
Architect: Shinagawa Development Project (Phase I) Design Joint Venture (JR East Architects & Engineers Inc. JR East Consultants Inc. Japan Architects & Engineers Inc. Nikken Sekkei Ltd.)
Design Architect: Picard Tilton
Address: 2-21-1 Takanawa, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Building use: Offices, stores, restaurants, hotel, meeting place, etc.
Scale: NORTH / 29 above ground, 3 basement levels SOUTH / 30 above ground, 3 basement levels
Structure: S, partly SRC, RC
Site area: approx. 38,000m2
Total floor area: approx. 460,000m2
Building height: NORTH/ approx. 161m, SOUTH/ approx. 159m

Taiyo Kogyo is a leading manufacturer of large membrane surface structures that are economical, easy to install, translucent, and well designed. Under the corporate philosophy of “Unlocking the infinite possibilities of membranes to deliver an inspiring and comfortable environment to our customers. Under the corporate philosophy of “We will bring excitement and a comfortable environment to our customers by exploiting the infinite possibilities of membranes,” TSP Taiyo has been supporting the safety and security of society by utilizing the characteristics of light and strong materials to expand its business in various fields including construction, as symbolized by the roof of the giant dome, civil engineering, logistics, and environmental fields.
Together with group companies such as TSP Taiyo Corporation, which provides event consulting services, and ACTIO Corporation, which manages facilities, we are working to “make the world softer and the future warmer. We aim to “make the world soft and the future warm. We aim to “soften the world and warm the future.