“The Specified development block” system had been established in 1961, almost the same time as the introduction of the floor area ratio system. Japan’s first skyscraper; Kasumigaseki Building was the first to implement this system. Almost all the tall buildings in Nishi-Shinjuku CBD followed using this system.
The system shall be applied to block(s) surrounded by sufficient width roads, and the design of the buildings and open spaces shall be assessed and authorized by the Government as an urban planning project. The key of this scheme is the additional floor area incentive which can be acquired in exchange for public amenities such as the fair form building surrounded by splendid urban environment including privately owned public spaces.
As time passes and other methods with similar effects had been created, the number of new applications using this system decreased. However, it is still one of the effective options for developing tall buildings since the requirement of the site size is relatively small (0.5 hectare). More than 100 projects had been completed with this method across the country.
