Client-oriented Solution Services
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From the perspective of companies that are not involved in the business of real estate, the construction of their own facilities is a monumental event that takes place once every few decades, and it is normal for the preparatory and operational stages leading up to construction to be overwhelmingly long. For example, as a building ages and problems emerge in terms of maintenance and operation, a company may wonder if it would be better to rebuild or renovate a building in the future, and how to increase the value of the facility as a whole in terms of the company’s portfolio. In addition, during the preparatory stage of construction, a number of considerations must be addressed before a clear decision can be made to request a design with specific conditions, such as the selection of a site, arrangement of a business scheme, and the organization of a design’s given conditions.
Although design and supervision lie at the heart of Nikken Sekkei’s work, we also have a number of opportunities to consult with clients on a wide range of building issues outside of the design and supervision phase and have amassed a wealth of knowledge as a partner who is involved throughout the lifetime of a building.
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Nikken Sekkei’s original solutions
In recent years in particular, even as the number of stakeholders involved in projects have risen and the challenges around buildings have become more complex, there are fewer companies with architectural specialists on staff. As a result, unlike in the past, companies are starting to realize that the gap between architectural professionals and real estate owners is growing even larger, as they experience more difficulty in unravelling the issues they face, as well as in organizing and appropriately communicating matters to architectural specialists. We believe that we can close this gap with an understanding of the full picture of the challenges our clients face and by offering them a combination of several new professional services.
We do not operate from a “product mindset” of selling our own packaged products; rather, first, we draw out the issues our customers have, and then provide services that address those challenges that have been identified.
Services available to solve client issues
Client-dedicated services built on the foundation of Nikken Sekkei’s strength in neutrality
Many companies offer a variety of consulting and solution services for construction and real estate. But here, our strength lies in our ability to work, placing the highest priority on the best interests of our clients and free from the influence of other companies as all our stock is owned in-house which ensures our independence in management decisions; or in other words, our neutrality.
So, from the client’s perspective, what are the benefits of hiring a company whose strength lies in their neutrality?
In a project utilizing a former factory site, for example, a client will eventually ask a partner who can work in real estate to become involved. However, with these often very high-profile projects, there will be situations where a client will need to explain to stakeholders about the process for deciding on a business partner. In this case, it is important for the office selecting a partner to be able to explain that the evaluation and selection were made properly, free from any particular interest. In addition, in stages where business performance is monitored after a business partner has been selected, the interests of the partner and client can often be in conflict, so appointing a partner who can accompany the client from a neutral perspective, independent of any particular interest or capital, can be a great advantage in promoting a project.
So, from the client’s perspective, what are the benefits of hiring a company whose strength lies in their neutrality?
In a project utilizing a former factory site, for example, a client will eventually ask a partner who can work in real estate to become involved. However, with these often very high-profile projects, there will be situations where a client will need to explain to stakeholders about the process for deciding on a business partner. In this case, it is important for the office selecting a partner to be able to explain that the evaluation and selection were made properly, free from any particular interest. In addition, in stages where business performance is monitored after a business partner has been selected, the interests of the partner and client can often be in conflict, so appointing a partner who can accompany the client from a neutral perspective, independent of any particular interest or capital, can be a great advantage in promoting a project.
Recommending no design is also a solution
This prompts the question that, ultimately, a design office wants to design buildings. Of course, any design office is thrilled when their efforts lead to design work in the end. However, at Nikken Sekkei, we are always thinking about the best solution for a client, based on an overhead view of an entire project, such as the characteristics of a building, location environment, and the client’s own business environment, not simply based on the idea of creating a design or new construction; sometimes, we will offer a solution that includes an option with no design. We can provide these types of solutions because we work with a group of consultants that operate independently of our design department, and who work on a fee basis when providing consulting services.
In our meetings with clients as we move through the COVID-19 pandemic, there seems to be an accelerated movement to press forward with what we had been thinking about but were not able to put into practice. We realize the enormity of the changes in the social conditions that we find ourselves in the middle of and feel that it is our mission to keep pace with our clients in achieving their aspirations--from clarifying issues to providing solutions--from our position as a neutral partner, swayed by no particular interest.
Toru Kawahara
Director
Facility Solution and Strategies Section, Facility Solution Group
New Business Development
Mr. Kawahara joined Nikken Sekkei in 1994 after receiving his PhD (urban and environmental engineering) from Waseda University. After working on business feasibility studies, facility management, and management and operational planning for large-scale urban development, he was transferred to Nikken Sekkei Management Solutions (now merged with Nikken Sekkei), where he was involved in the development of various solution business services and up-and-coming projects. Since rejoining Nikken Sekkei in 2007, Mr. Kawahara has been engaged in value management, which covers the entire lifecycle of buildings. Using these experiences, he provides CRE consulting services to companies to design and drive solution processes through facilities for the management issues they are facing.
Yusuke Kobira
Associate
Facility Solution and Strategies Section, Facility Solution Group
New Business Development
Mr. Kobira joined Nikken Sekkei in 2008 after completing his studies at graduate school at The University of Tokyo. He has been involved in a wide range of areas, such as support for relocation consolidation projects and base reconstruction projects, reviews of utilization policies for idle properties, and support for property sales, with a focus on considerations of business profitability in various projects, such as new construction and renovations, from the angle of the effective use of corporate real estate. Mr. Kobira draws upon his own experiences in being seconded to a real estate asset management company and shares issues with clients to bridge the gap between architectural professionals and property owners to propose business proposals and provide solutions.