How Aston Martin built № 001 Minami Aoyama, its First Private Property in Japan

Per Aston Martin, its vision is to ‘be the world’s most desirable ultra-luxury British brand.’ When it announced it was building the Aston Martin Residences in Miami back in 2020, it was its unique signal to the world that it meant every word. Now, two years after, the British brand is back to remind us that it is more than just a luxury auto business: it has recently announced that it is building a new, private luxury residence in Japan, this time the № 001 Minami Aoyama.

Aston Martin No 1 Minami Aoyama
Aston Martin’s first private residential property is in Japan. Image courtesy of Aston Martin

How did Aston Martin, a luxury auto brand domiciled in Britain, manage to design and now build a structure fit for Japan’s architectural and luxury landscape?

First, it started with the

Location

It is common knowledge that in real estate, location is everything. In keeping with the theme of exclusive luxury, Aston Martin teamed up with Japanese real estate company, Vibora, to choose the Omotesando area of the Minami Aoyama district, one of the affluent areas of Tokyo well-known for its architectural and style centres.

Exterior of № 001 Minami Aoyama showing open garage
Working with local firm Vibora, Aston Martin chose to situate № 001 Minami Aoyama in one of the more affluent districts of Japan. Image courtesy of Aston Martin

Once they had secured a worthy location, they moved on to designing the structure, starting with the

Exterior

Aston Martin realized that, in order to build a house that blended well with its surroundings while still maintaining its unique flair, it needed another set of hands and eyes that understood the area and its culture. And so the British brand collaborated with yet another local business; this time, Tokyo-based design studio Intentionallies.

the garage of the residence doubles as a showroom
The garage of the house doubles as a showroom. Image courtesy of Aston Martin

Together, they came up with a four-storey concept that includes a garage on the ground floor, which also doubles as a gallery. The inclusion of a glass wall on the inside grants residents and visitors alike a full view of the parked cars as though they were in an auto showroom.

№ 001 Minami Aoyama also comes with a rooftop terrace that can be accessed with the help of a folding staircase. Its front façade features fluted ribbons of steel in an abstract geometric pattern that doubles as a privacy screen.

The residence comes with its private terrace
The house also comes with a rooftop terrace. Image courtesy of Aston Martin

Next on the list was the

Interior

Neutral colours, clutter-free spaces and top-quality materials are the running themes here. Although it was also designed together with Intentionallies, the Aston Martin design team specified the fixtures and finishes throughout.

the bedroom at № 001 Minami Aoyama
Every space at № 001 Minami Aoyama is clutter-free. Image courtesy of Aston Martin

The addition of a wine cellar, a private spa and gym, a home cinema and an ample home office space makes No 1 Minami Aoyama a truly luxurious abode and one that has managed to marry functionality, technology, and luxury quite beautifully.

The office space at № 001 Minami Aoyama
№ 001 Minami Aoyama has many luxurious add-ons, including a large home office. Image courtesy of Aston Martin

Unlike all the Aston Martin residences designed in the past, № 001 Minami Aoyama appears to be a one-of-one structure. It is a genuinely befitting structure for the anonymous and established Aston Martin collector who purchased it before its planned completion in November 2023.