Kengo Kuma unveiled his first full-scale project for North America, the 43-story Alberni Tower. It will appear in downtown Vancouver, near the entrance to the famous Stanley Park - one of the largest on the continent. The building will house 181 apartments with spacious terraces, as well as retail space and a restaurant.
A distinctive feature of the tower is its biconcave shape; living space will be located in these curved volumes. It is planned to set up a large garden at the base of the skyscraper, and use wood of different species in the exterior and interior, which has long become the basis of the architect's "corporate identity". According to the author, the building will embody the theme of "interconnection and transparency": its facades will be covered with anodized aluminum and glass so that they reflect the neighboring buildings and the sky.
In Japan, the concept of boundaries is blurred, the "divide" between various objects is changeable and transient. Kuma admits that transferring this concept into architecture is an important aspect of his work. “In this project, glass details and multi-level landscaping level out the boundaries and enhance the sense of continuity,” explains the architect.
