By Kathryn Wortley

With the completion of the construction of Azabu Gardens, one could say the property’s journey, from two-dimensional plans to a finished building, has also come to a close. Yet, Akira Shimizu says this is far from the case.

According to the Senior Project Manager of Pembroke Real Estate, his journey to create the perfect home is just beginning.

“The character of our company is attention to detail”, he said. “Even in the late stages, with the launch of Azabu Gardens in May, we have been constantly making improvements to the building”.

Since he joined the firm in 2010, Akira and his team have been dedicated to creating a master plan of luxury residences in the fashionable and prominent neighborhood of Moto-Azabu, Tokyo.

“We take pride not only in the architecture of the building, but also in our landscaping. We want to be able to enhance the atmosphere that the neighborhood already has—and nestle our building into it”, Akira said.

Envisioning the property as “a home away from home” for non-Japanese residents, he moved away from the recent trend in Tokyo of building residential towers, instead opting to create a low-rise community to support family living.

As part of this dream, architects of Azabu Gardens designed the building to bring enhanced privacy to the family-friendly homes, many of which have their own individual design. While residences on the upper floors have views of the capital’s cityscape, those on the middle floors look onto the greenery around the building’s periphery. Residents at ground level have access to private Japanese-style gardens, which have been intricately designed by the firm’s landscape architect.

“I think our prospective tenants will have trouble deciding which apartment they want to live in”, Akira said. “That makes us most excited”.

Aspiring for perfection, Akira and his team are working to create residences that not only provide luxurious and comfortable living, but top-quality service too.

 “As construction has been finalized, we are focusing on operations and services, which is another key element of this property for both new and existing residents”, he said.

Central to his aims of developing an amenity-rich complex and maintaining the building’s character, these facilities include a club lounge, spacious social kitchen, and movie-screening room for residents. Families in particular are expected to appreciate the full-scale roof terrace and playground for kids, which, thanks to the mild climate, are available year round.

Also exciting the team at Pembroke is their work to improve the area for the benefit of the whole community.

“We’ve contributed a lot to the neighborhood—and we like to do this—because it raises the property’s long-term value”, Akira said, pointing out the firm’s work to remove electricity power poles, develop sidewalks, and refurbish a rough, narrow path into a safe and pleasant walkway.

Despite describing his journey on the project as “bumpy and rocky”, Akira is really satisfied with both the end product and his decision to join the firm. With an international background, a bachelor’s degree in architecture, and extensive experience in development and investment, Akira appreciates Pembroke’s approach.

“It is very development- and architecture-oriented”, he said. “But we also do development because we want to hold the asset for another 20 to 30 years, and it has to be sustainable for at least that length of time”.

Akira believes this multi-faceted outlook means that he and his team can provide residents of Azabu Gardens with luxury, quality homes that enhance their life in Tokyo.

“I think our residents understand where we are coming from and appreciate the dedication to quality and attention to detail that we offer them”, he concluded.