Omotesando Hills

I went to check out the new Tadao Ando designed Omotesando Hills shopping complex. It was financed by Minouru Mori, who was responsible for the Roppongi Hills complex as well. (Here's a recent interview from Metropolis with him about Omotesando Hills) I have mixed feelings about it. I liked the Dojunkai apartments, built in 1923 covered with ivy, that were there before, but they weren't used properly (many were vacant and only 10 percent had residents). The design of the new mall isn't all that spectacular, I do like the the sloping walkways inside. (see below) After all, it's just a glorified mall-another monument to the Japanese obsession-conspicuous consumption. Harajuku/Omtesando is already on its way to becoming another shopping mecca like Ginza. It seems like everything you do in Japan is geared toward spending money.

I saw an article about Omotesando Hills opening in The NY Times today as well.