Akihabara Crossfield was established in Akihabara (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), internationally known as "Electric Town," a place to find cutting-edge multimedia and other technology. Kajima, along with two partner companies, developed the project from start to finish, handling everything from design and construction to management and operation. Drawing on its technical abilities and collective strength, Kajima took the initiative in proposing a development solution incorporating both hardware and software in the heart of the city, helping to establish a new business model.

So what exactly is Akihabara Crossfield?

Akihabara lies approximately two kilometers north of Tokyo Station, practically in the center of Tokyo. It is a major transportation hub, with access by six railway and subway lines from three stations. The starting point for the new Tsukuba Express, opened in August 2005, it provides a 45-minute link between Tokyo and Tsukuba Science City, a concentration of a wide range of research centers. Akihabara Crossfield is at the northern end of JR Akihabara Station, situated on a 1.57-hectare area of land on the west side of the Japan Railway (JR) Yamanote Line. The main buildings in the complex are the Akihabara Daibiru Building (31 stories) completed in March 2005, and the Akihabara UDX Building (22 stories) completed in March 2006. The origin of the project is "Tokyo Plan 2000," part of the Tokyo government's plan to create a global center for the IT industry in Akihabara, taking advantage of the district's unique characteristics. As part of this project, the former site of the Kanda produce market and national railway (Akihabara freight yard) was redeveloped.

The concept for the project was "crossing of people and information," providing collaboration between industry and academia, an information network, and visitor drawing power. Akihabara Daibiru Building contains 16 organizations and institutes for collaboration between industry and academia. All of the tenants were selected for their "creation of the IT industry," and include such institutions as the University of Tokyo, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), the University of Tsukuba, and the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA).

The University of Tokyo Graduate School of Information Science and Technology has established its Creative Informatics Department at the complex. The University of Tsukuba has opened a graduate school of law, enhancing its lectures on intellectual property rights. Tsukuba Science City's AIST Institute seeks to become a base for providing information on findings of leading-edge research. Kajima has also established a new R&D facility (satellite lab) within the complex.

The Akihabara UDX Building was designed as a facility to attract visitors, containing a multi-functional event hall, restaurants and cafés, and parking for about 800 vehicles. The office space on the upper floors is occupied by many IT-related companies. The city's plan to use IT to attract visitors to the entire area is also moving forward, with the vision of a theme park for leading-edge technology. Examples include a museum for visitors to conduct experiments with everyday science, demonstrations around town of new technologies and products currently in development, and street performances using robots and scientific instruments. The project is being coordinated by Professor Kenichiro Senoh of the University of Tokyo's Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, who hopes that the project's links with Electric Town will make the district a place people want to visit on a daily basis.

Akihabara Crossfield is more than just a sophisticated, multifunctional facility. It has also been designed to be a gateway to the district. A pedestrian deck, the "Akiba Bridge," links the area in front of JR Akihabara Station with the two high-rise buildings, providing a smooth flow of people to Electric Town. An IT industry facility where people gather and enjoy themselves is an important aspect of the project concept.

Akihabara changes and evolves with each technological revolution. Kajima is playing a major role as the area is reborn as a center for a more highly specialized IT industry.