Located in the Seishin Industrial Park in the foothills west of Kobe, this is the research and development base for Sysmex, the manufacturer of medical testing equipment and reagents. The work has been carried out in commemoration of the 40th year since the foundation of the company. With the concept of the creation of "knowledge" and its inheritance and by accelerating the research related to diseases and living organisms, the facility was designed to create new testing technologies, and aim for world-standard development of high value-added products in the life science area. With the keywords of "harmony," "integration," "innovation" and "advancement," the facility was designed to integrate a cutting-edge image and the motif of a traditional Japanese feeling, as a "research facility" transmitting to the rest of the world. The wide opening side facing the office and research rooms is composed of glass curtain walls with metallic louvers, designed to look like bamboo blinds. This is designed to reduce the heat load, as well as realizing a façade displaying the collaboration spaces between the floors inside the building like a checkerboard. Total design was carried out on the top floor to function as a "guest house" for clients from around the world, including the installation of scenic devices, art planning, and furniture. The flower bowl and waterfall installed in the light court, the view of the Seto Inland Sea from the terrace, and the Toko Shinoda objets d'art decorating the entrance and the reception area give the impression of a Japanese flavor. Efforts were made in the overall plan, including that of the R&D Tower, to raise the quality and performance of the facility environment, and to reduce the load on the environment. Technopark is the first facility of its kind in the Kobe area to be awarded the highest "S" rating under the Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environmental Efficiency (CASBEE, a government-led system for rating the environmental performance of buildings) from the Kobe City Government. Particular appraisal was given to the barrier-free planning of the site, the earthquake-resistance performance of the buildings using base isolation systems, and the consideration given to the panorama and scenery due to the excellent landscaping.