This is the fifth article in Housing Japan’s ‘Japan’s Best Architects Series’
From the dense urban landscape of Tokyo to the snow covered mountains of Niseko and tropical islands in the south, Riccardo Tossani has spent nearly three decades creating architecture that responds to its environment while pushing creative boundaries. His journey from Adelaide to Florence to Los Angeles and finally Tokyo has produced work that blends European refinement with Japanese craftsmanship in ways that feel both innovative and timeless.
For those seeking property in Tokyo, understanding Tossani’s approach reveals how thoughtful architecture can transform not just buildings but entire neighborhoods. Riccardo Tossani Architecture demonstrate that luxury living means more than expensive materials, it means spaces designed to enhance daily life while respecting their cultural and physical context.
Who is Riccardo Tossani?
Born in Adelaide, Australia in 1957 to Italian heritage, Riccardo Tossani originally planned a career in aviation design. His fascination with form, function and the beauty of aircraft would later influence his architectural work in unexpected ways. When opportunities in aviation proved limited in Adelaide, he chose architecture instead, graduating with Honours from the University of Adelaide in 1981.
What sets Tossani apart is his remarkably international path. After establishing his first practice in Adelaide at just twenty three, he spent several years working in Florence, immersing himself in Renaissance architecture and urban planning. He studied at the University of Florence before moving to the United States, where he earned a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, graduating with distinction and receiving the Award for Greatest Overall Achievement in the Class of 1988.
Rather than accepting an offer to work on London’s Canary Wharf project, Tossani chose Los Angeles, joining the firm that would become Johnson Fain. There he spent nearly a decade as a senior architect and urban designer before a sabbatical in Tokyo changed everything. As he explains, “Twenty eight years later I am still on that sabbatical.” In 1997, he established Riccardo Tossani Architecture in Tokyo with his partner, interior architect Atsuko Itoda. The firm quickly grew to include major Japanese and international clients, with projects spanning Japan, the United States, Australia, Thailand, China and Italy.
The Philosophy: Context, Culture and the Fourth Dimension
Tossani’s architectural philosophy draws deeply from his time in Florence, where he developed what he calls a “Renaissance approach” to design. This means viewing buildings not as isolated objects but as small yet noble parts of a far greater context. That context extends beyond the three dimensional geography of a site to include time itself, what Tossani calls the fourth dimension.
“Architecture is a snapshot of when it was conceived in the arc of cultural and social history,” he explains, “and how it anticipates and aspires to its role and place in the continuum’s future.” This thinking shapes every project, from furniture design to master planning for entire resort villages.
His time in Florence also reinforced the Renaissance expectation that architects should solve design challenges across all scales. This comprehensive approach means Riccardo Tossani Architecture handles everything from custom furniture and interior design to building architecture and urban planning, all as part of a unified creative vision. The firm’s work is characterized by carefully selected materials, simple yet innovative forms, and emphasis on natural materials, space and light.
Aviation’s Influence on Architecture
Tossani remains an FAA instrument rated private pilot, and aviation’s influence on his architecture is unmistakable once you know to look for it. “Aircraft design is quintessential functional art,” he notes, “unquestionable beauty borne of reductive physics, symmetry and Vitruvian virtues.”
This influence appears throughout his work. The M Residence in central Tokyo sits on the prow of an urban hill, crowned by large and small wing like forms, literal airfoils that appear ready to take flight. These provide curvilinear canopies to high ceilinged rooms and gardens below, with surfaces that reveal fine grained skeletal structure reminiscent of aircraft airframe design.
Perhaps most dramatically, his elliptical Ring Chapel in Guam evokes the spacious delight of high bay aircraft hangars. The chapel completes itself with its reflection in the still water of the lake upon which it strides. Inside, the skeletal structure conceals all services and infrastructure, creating what Tossani describes as the pure, unadorned essence of aviation’s sacred resting spaces.
Major Works in Tokyo and Beyond
Tossani’s work spans commercial, residential and cultural projects across Japan and internationally. Each responds to unique site conditions while maintaining his commitment to context sensitive design. His international background combined with deep understanding of Japanese craftsmanship produces spaces that feel both cosmopolitan and rooted in place.
Giorgio Armani Flagship Boutique, Roppongi Hills
This flagship boutique represents a notable collaboration with the legendary fashion designer Giorgio Armani himself. The concept celebrates Italian heritage while honoring its Tokyo setting in the prestigious Roppongi Hills development. Elegant silver marmorino plaster walls reflect off black granite floors, creating a sophisticated interplay of light and texture. A metaphorical bamboo forest in stainless steel is engraved with white stipple to suggest a Japanese garden. Display racks demonstrate traditional carpentry techniques and express takumi, the fine skills of Japanese craftspeople.
Yotsuya Tower
This twenty nine storey condominium in central Tokyo demonstrates Tossani’s commitment to treating all sides of a building equally, uncommon in a city where only front facades often receive attention. The tower takes inspiration from nearby Shinjuku Gyoen park, with wood colored banding on large windows and landscaping featuring diverse tree species and stone pathways. Inside, a hand cut carpet charts a tree as it extends from first to top floor, continuing the forest metaphor throughout the building.
Palatine Residences, Meguro
This residential project in one of Tokyo’s desirable neighborhoods showcases Tossani’s approach to sustainable design. The building incorporates solar installations that were part of a Japanese government renewable energy program. A subterranean light well brings natural illumination deep into the building’s interior, demonstrating the firm’s commitment to working with natural light rather than relying solely on artificial sources.
Ring Chapel, Guam
Perhaps Tossani’s most dramatic expression of his aviation inspired design, this elliptical chapel evokes the spacious delight of high bay aircraft hangars. The structure completes itself with its reflection in the still water of the lake upon which it strides. Inside, the skeletal framework conceals all services and infrastructure, creating what Tossani describes as the pure, unadorned essence of aviation’s sacred resting spaces. The chapel demonstrates how his diverse influences, from Renaissance architecture to aircraft design, combine into something entirely original.
Shaping Niseko’s Transformation
While Tossani’s work spans Japan and beyond, Niseko has become a defining area for the practice. The resort region in southwest Hokkaido has transformed from a former ski destination into a high end international resort, and Tossani has been central to that evolution since the areas potential was discovered in around 2000.
His contributions include residences, condominium resorts, restaurants and most importantly master planning for the region. The Hirafu zaka Main Street overhaul exemplifies his comprehensive approach. The project went beyond cosmetics, burying utility cables underground while addressing safety concerns. Roofs were designed to prevent snow accumulation from slipping off, and roads and sidewalks were heated.
Tossani was appointed Master Architect for the Hanazono Resort after winning an international design competition hosted by Richard Li’s Pacific Century Premium Developments. The project will transform fields of uncovered parking into around a dozen buildings, underground parking and a series of interconnecting pedestrian streets culminating in a piazza that flows to the ski lifts. The firm has also been appointed to the master planning committee creating a ten year plan for the beautification of Niseko, the neighbouring town of Kutchan and the countryside in between.
Why Japan? The Speed of Quality Construction
Tossani’s decision to stay in Japan connects to both inspiration and practical realities that set the country apart for architects. “Early in my studies of architecture I was mesmerised by works of Kenzo Tange, specifically the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Gymnasium in Harajuku,” he recalls. “Images in textbooks of the graceful structure graced with winter snow generated my first remembered aesthetic experience.”
This initial fascination led to admiration of Metabolism and Modernism, which inevitably brought him back to Japan through various business trips. But what keeps him here is something more practical: the extraordinary speed and quality of construction.
“For the practicing architect, the non litigious nature of design and construction in Japan, coupled with extraordinarily skilled and dedicated subcontractors whose self image and sense of honour are expressed by the quality of their work, and the speed of quality construction and fast pace of development is mindblowing.” Building permits obtainable in weeks rather than years mean architects can accomplish a body of completed work in very short time. “To see one’s ideas leap from the drawing board to reality so quickly is as thrilling as it is humbling.”
Housing Japan’s Partnership with Riccardo Tossani Architecture
The Gravitas Minamiazabu, a luxury residence designed by Riccardo Tossani in 2018 with Housing Japan. This property is currently for sale with Housing Japan
Housing Japan has enjoyed a long term working relationship with Riccardo Tossani Architecture, recognizing the firm’s unique position in Tokyo’s luxury residential market. This partnership provides our clients with access to properties representing the intersection of international design sensibility and Japanese craftsmanship.
We are pleased to announce that Housing Japan will be bringing five exclusive high end properties designed by Riccardo Tossani Architecture to market. These residences represent the firm’s latest work in central Tokyo, each tailored to unique sites with careful planning to optimize views and natural light. Following Tossani’s commitment to creating architecture that enhances streets and neighborhoods with responsive, timeless design, these properties offer a rare opportunity to own a piece of his Tokyo portfolio. These large private luxury villa properies are in some of the most sort after address in Tokyo.
For clients interested in these upcoming properties, Housing Japan offers personalized consultation to understand your requirements and match you with appropriate opportunities as they become available.
Note: Housing Japan is involved in both property development and sales. However, our commitment is always to act in the buyer’s interest. We will not recommend a property, including those we have developed, unless we genuinely believe it meets your needs, circumstances and investment goals.
Current and Future Projects
Riccardo Tossani Architecture currently has projects spanning the Japanese archipelago from tropical southern islands to snowy Hokkaido. In Tokyo, the firm is designing several large residences, each tailored to unique central city sites that demand careful planning to optimize view and sun access.
One residence sits on a steep urban hill near the heavily wooded Meiji Jingu shrine in Harajuku, described by Tossani as the cultural heart of Tokyo. The tree lined street with generous open space allows a plan arrangement with four cascading levels, each with adjacent terraced gardens flowing down from the top to bottom of the sloping site.
In the southern islands, beachside hotels and vacation residences exhibit forms in tune with tropical conditions, local mythology and environment. In Niseko and on Lake Toya, private chalets respond to harsh conditions including fifteen meter average annual snowfalls, with spectacular views of volcanoes and caldera lakes serving clients committed to active engagement with Hokkaido’s beautiful seasonal landscapes.
Why This Matters for Tokyo Property Buyers
Properties designed by Tossani offer advantages that may not be immediately apparent. His commitment to treating all sides of a building equally means residents experience quality finishes throughout, not just on street facing facades. His attention to natural light and connection to surroundings creates living spaces that feel open and connected even within Tokyo’s dense urban fabric.
For international buyers, Tossani’s background provides a unique bridge. His European training and American experience combined with nearly three decades in Japan means he understands what Western clients expect while working within Japanese construction methods and materials. This cross cultural fluency shows in properties that feel sophisticated and international while being thoroughly suited to Tokyo living.
Conclusion
Riccardo Tossani represents a different approach to architecture in Tokyo, one that values context over spectacle and craftsmanship over trends. His nearly three decades in Japan have produced work demonstrating how international perspectives can enhance rather than override local traditions. Whether you are looking for a primary residence or an investment property with lasting architectural significance, Riccardo Tossani Architecture’s work deserves consideration.
See the Riccardo Tossani Architecture website -> www.tossani.com
Q&A: Common Questions About Riccardo Tossani
What makes Riccardo Tossani’s architecture different?
Tossani brings European classical training, American urban design expertise and nearly three decades of Japanese practice. His Renaissance approach views buildings as part of broader cultural contexts rather than isolated objects, and he treats all sides of buildings equally rather than focusing only on street facing facades.
Where can I find Riccardo Tossani buildings?
His Tokyo work includes residential projects across central areas and the Giorgio Armani flagship store in Roppongi Hills. The firm also has extensive work in Niseko including master planning for Hanazono Resort, as well as projects throughout Japan and internationally.
Does Housing Japan have Tossani designed properties available?
Housing Japan has an established partnership with Riccardo Tossani Architecture and will be bringing five exclusive high end properties to market. Contact Housing Japan directly for information about availability and to discuss your requirements.
Can foreigners purchase Tossani designed properties?
Yes, foreigners can purchase property in Japan. Housing Japan specializes in helping international buyers navigate the purchase process for luxury properties and can provide guidance on Tossani designed residences as they become available.
Image and Quotes from LUXE Magazine, Curtesy of Aflie Goodrich as well as the Riccardo Tossani Architecture Website
