Mori Arts Center, Shingled Façade

This unique structure, with point supported, shingled glass, serves as the ground-level entry to the Mori Art Center in the recently developed Roppongi section of Tokyo.

TriPyramid and Asahi Glass collaborated with an international team of architects and structural engineers to bring the vision of the design architect and engineer to fruition. The outer shell of the structure is a series of elliptical steel rings, held vertically by tension rods and a sophisticated cable net system. When the cable net is tensioned, the inward component of force at each node renders the entire structure rigid, much like the spokes of a bicycle wheel. TriPyramid designed the nodes to meet the complex mechanical requirements and to be sculpture themselves.

The glass panels overlap vertically and horizontally, so each glass fitting must transfer the load of two panels back to the steel rings. TriPyramid designed a fitting to accomplish the task using only a single, innovative center axle.

TriPyramid manufactured all fittings and cables and shipped them to Japan for installation by Asahi.