Roppongi district transforms into Tokyo's new art hub with Complex665

Tokyo's Roppongi district is undergoing a cultural renaissance, anchored by the new Complex665 creative complex opened in late 2016. The 943-square-meter, three-story space adjacent to a metro station already houses galleries Tomio Koyama, ShugoArts, and Taka Ishii Gallery. It joins established institutions like Mori Art Museum, Suntory Museum of Art, and the National Art Center, Tokyo. French mega-gallerist Emmanuel Perrotin, known for representing Takashi Murakami, will open a new Tokyo gallery in June at an undisclosed location. Historically a nightlife district, Roppongi began its cultural shift in 2003 with the Roppongi Hills development. The area now attracts galleries such as 21_21 Design Sight, designed by Tadao Ando and Issey Miyake. Architect Jan Vranovský notes in Domus that Tokyo's lack of facade regulations and unique reinterpretation of functionalism create a distinct "technological era vernacular." Complex665 represents the opposite approach, contributing to the district's architectural identity.