Mori Building Company
A Japanese family-owned urban developer and property manager known for large-scale mixed-use districts including Roppongi Hills and Toranomon Hills.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Mori Building Company is a Japanese family-owned real estate developer and property management firm associated with large-scale urban renewal projects, particularly in Tokyo's Minato ward. Rather than concentrating only on individual buildings, the company has pursued integrated districts combining offices, residences, retail, hotels, cultural facilities, public spaces, and transportation connections. Its best-known developments include Ark Hills, Roppongi Hills, Omotesando Hills, Toranomon Hills, and Azabudai Hills. The company has also undertaken major international projects, including Shanghai World Financial Center and Jakarta Mori Tower. The business traces its roots to Taikichiro Mori, an economics professor who left academia and entered the property business. Mori Building had been managing office leases since 1955 and was formally established in 1959. Its early and enduring focus was the redevelopment of aging or fragmented urban areas in central Tokyo. The company's development model generally involves assembling land interests, coordinating with local stakeholders, replacing low-rise or independently managed properties with planned mixed-use complexes, and retaining an ongoing role in leasing and property management. Ark Hills, completed in 1986, became an important early example of this approach. Later projects expanded the model in scale and public visibility. Roppongi Hills, completed in 2003, combined offices, apartments, retail, hospitality, cultural venues, public art, and observation facilities around Mori Tower. It became one of Tokyo's most recognizable privately developed urban districts. Toranomon Hills, completed in 2014, extended the company's central Tokyo strategy into a major business and transportation corridor. Azabudai Hills, completed in 2023, continued the emphasis on mixed-use development, public realm, and international business activity. Mori Building's international portfolio has included office and mixed-use assets in China and Southeast Asia. Shanghai World Financial Center, completed in 2008, was a major overseas landmark, while Jakarta Mori Tower was completed in 2022. The company has also managed office facilities in Japan and China; a Wikipedia account reported 107 facilities and approximately 1.16 million square meters of space in 2011. The company's projects have attracted praise for their scale, amenities, and contribution to Tokyo's international profile, but its redevelopment methods have also been criticized. Prominent architects and other observers have questioned the replacement of historically significant or fine-grained districts with large tower complexes. This criticism reflects a broader debate about the balance between urban modernization, private development rights, architectural continuity, and preservation of local character. Mori Building remains privately held and is headquartered in Roppongi Hills Mori Tower. Taikichiro Mori's sons, Minoru Mori and Akira Mori, were important figures in the company's later development. Shingo Tsuji was identified as president and chief executive in the cited 2015 reference, but the available material does not establish the company's current executive roster. Its public identity continues to center on long-term urban development, district management, and the creation of dense, internationally oriented mixed-use environments.
History
Mori Building Company's origins lie in the postwar expansion of Tokyo's property market. Taikichiro Mori, an economics professor, left academia to enter real estate and began building a business around office leasing and property management. The company had been managing office leases since 1955 and was formally founded in 1959. Its principal geographic focus became Minato ward, an area containing a mixture of small properties, residential neighborhoods, offices, embassies, and historically established districts. Mori Building developed a distinctive approach to urban renewal. Instead of treating each building as an isolated asset, it sought to assemble and coordinate larger areas, replacing fragmented plots with integrated districts. These projects could include office space, housing, shopping, hotels, cultural venues, plazas, landscaping, and transport links. The model required long development periods and extensive coordination with landowners, residents, public authorities, tenants, and other stakeholders. It also enabled the company to remain involved after construction through leasing and property management. Ark Hills, completed in 1986, was an early expression of the company's large-scale redevelopment strategy. The project helped establish the firm's reputation for combining offices with residential, commercial, and public functions. Later developments made the brand increasingly visible internationally. Atago Green Hills was completed in 2001, followed by Roppongi Hills in 2003. Roppongi Hills became the company's signature project, centered on Mori Tower and incorporating offices, residences, retail, hospitality, cultural facilities, public art, and observation spaces. It was promoted as a compact international city rather than simply a conventional office complex. The company continued developing central Tokyo projects, including Holland Hills in 2005 and Omotesando Hills in 2006. Omotesando Hills brought a large commercial and residential development into a prominent shopping and architectural district. Outside Japan, Mori Building completed Shanghai World Financial Center in 2008, adding a major landmark to Shanghai's Pudong skyline. The company's Tokyo pipeline continued with Ark Hills Sengokuyama Mori Tower in 2012 and Toranomon Hills in 2014. Toranomon Hills reinforced the company's emphasis on business districts and infrastructure-linked redevelopment. Mori Building also expanded its international activity in Asia. The reference material describes office facilities managed in Japan and China and identifies Jakarta Mori Tower, completed in 2022, as another international project. In 2023, the company completed Azabudai Hills in Tokyo, continuing its long-running effort to create a large mixed-use district with offices, residences, commerce, and public amenities. Taikichiro Mori became internationally notable for his wealth during the early 1990s. He died of heart failure on January 30, 1993, aged 88. His sons, including Minoru Mori, were associated with the company's subsequent development and public profile. A cited reference identified Shingo Tsuji as president and chief executive in 2015, although the available material does not confirm his present status. The company's redevelopment philosophy has generated both admiration and opposition. Supporters view its projects as mechanisms for modernizing aging urban areas, improving infrastructure, creating public amenities, and strengthening Tokyo's global business position. Critics, including prominent architects, have objected to the use of large towers and consolidated districts in historically significant areas. The criticism concerns the possible loss of local scale, architectural continuity, and neighborhood identity. This tension between comprehensive redevelopment and preservation remains central to the way Mori Building is discussed.
- 2023
Azabudai Hills is completed
[1]Azabudai Hills is completed in Tokyo as a large mixed-use urban district.
- 2022
Jakarta Mori Tower is completed
[1]The company completes Jakarta Mori Tower, extending its development portfolio in Southeast Asia.
- 2014
Toranomon Hills is completed
[1]Toranomon Hills becomes a major business and mixed-use development in central Tokyo.
- 2012
Ark Hills Sengokuyama Mori Tower is completed
[1]The company adds Ark Hills Sengokuyama Mori Tower to its Tokyo portfolio.
- 2008
Shanghai World Financial Center is completed
[1]Mori Building completes the landmark Shanghai World Financial Center.
- 2006
Omotesando Hills is completed
[1]The company completes the mixed-use Omotesando Hills project in Tokyo.
- 2005
Holland Hills is completed
[1]Mori Building completes Holland Hills in Tokyo.
- 2003
Roppongi Hills is completed
[1]Roppongi Hills opens as a major integrated office, residential, retail, cultural, and public-space district.
- 2001
Atago Green Hills is completed
[1]The company completes the Atago Green Hills development in Tokyo.
- 1986
Ark Hills is completed
[1]Ark Hills becomes an early large-scale mixed-use redevelopment associated with Mori Building.
Products and positioning
Premium large-scale urban renewal and integrated mixed-use district development
Mixed-use urban district · 1986
Ark Hills
Completed in 1986, Ark Hills was an early major Mori Building redevelopment. It established the company's practice of combining office uses with residential, commercial, landscaped, and public components within a coordinated district rather than developing a standalone tower.
Mixed-use urban district · 2001
Atago Green Hills
Atago Green Hills is a Tokyo development completed in 2001. It represents Mori Building's continuing urban-renewal model, in which commercial and residential functions are organized with open space and shared district infrastructure.
Mixed-use urban district · 2003
Roppongi Hills
Completed in 2003, Roppongi Hills is Mori Building's best-known project. The district includes the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, offices, residences, retail, hospitality, cultural facilities, observation amenities, public art, and landscaped public areas. It is designed as an integrated urban environment with an international business and cultural orientation.
Mixed-use urban district · 2005
Holland Hills
Holland Hills is a Mori Building development completed in Tokyo in 2005. It forms part of the company's portfolio of coordinated urban projects that combine built space with district-level amenities and management.
Mixed-use commercial and residential development · 2006
Omotesando Hills
Completed in 2006, Omotesando Hills is a prominent commercial and residential project in Tokyo's Omotesando area. It demonstrates Mori Building's willingness to undertake large redevelopment schemes in established, design-sensitive urban neighborhoods.
International mixed-use tower · 2008
Shanghai World Financial Center
Completed in 2008, Shanghai World Financial Center is a major overseas landmark associated with Mori Building. The high-rise project expanded the company's experience from Tokyo urban renewal into large-scale international commercial development.
Mixed-use tower development · 2012
Ark Hills Sengokuyama Mori Tower
Completed in 2012, Ark Hills Sengokuyama Mori Tower extended the Ark Hills area and the company's broader strategy of integrating high-rise development with district planning in central Tokyo.
Mixed-use urban district · 2014
Toranomon Hills
Completed in 2014, Toranomon Hills is a large central Tokyo development focused on business, commercial, residential, and infrastructure-linked urban uses. It reinforced Mori Building's position as a specialist in comprehensive redevelopment around important city corridors.
International office development · 2022
Jakarta Mori Tower
Jakarta Mori Tower was completed in 2022 and represents Mori Building's continuing international activity in Southeast Asia. The available reference identifies it as a completed project but does not provide further detail on its facilities or operating structure.
Mixed-use urban district · 2023
Azabudai Hills
Completed in 2023, Azabudai Hills is a major Tokyo mixed-use redevelopment. It continues Mori Building's district-scale approach, bringing together business, residential, commercial, and public-oriented elements within a centrally located urban environment.
Brand decisions
2014
Completes Toranomon HillsProduct launchBackground
Toranomon was a strategically important central Tokyo business area undergoing infrastructure and urban renewal activity.
Action taken
Mori Building completed Toranomon Hills as a large mixed-use, infrastructure-linked development.
Aftermath
The project strengthened Mori Building's role in reshaping central Tokyo business districts.
2008
Completes Shanghai World Financial CenterProduct launchBackground
Mori Building expanded its large-scale development activities beyond Japan into China's rapidly growing commercial real estate market.
Action taken
The company completed Shanghai World Financial Center as a major international high-rise development.
Aftermath
The project became an international landmark and an important overseas example of Mori Building's development capabilities.
2003
Opens Roppongi HillsProduct launchBackground
The company sought to create an integrated international urban center in Tokyo's Roppongi district.
Action taken
Mori Building completed Roppongi Hills, combining offices, residences, retail, hospitality, cultural facilities, public spaces, and Mori Tower.
Aftermath
Roppongi Hills became the company's signature development and one of Tokyo's most recognizable privately developed districts.
1986
Adopts large-scale integrated urban redevelopment through Ark HillsStrategyBackground
Mori Building's early major projects moved beyond individual office buildings toward coordinated districts combining multiple real estate uses and public amenities.
Action taken
The company completed Ark Hills as a large mixed-use redevelopment and used the project model as a foundation for later Tokyo developments.
Aftermath
Ark Hills helped establish the company's identity as a district-scale urban developer and property manager.
Recent events
Via raises Series E financing[3]
Reported:
Via announced that it raised a Series E financing led by EXOR, valuing the company at $2.25 billion. EXOR said it would invest $200 million; Shell, Macquarie Capital, Mori Building and existing investors also participated.
Sources3 sources
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