photos by guen-k
2012 is shaping up to be a year of great change for Tokyo, at least in terms of landscape. Within the last month we saw the opening of 2 new mega-retail complexes: Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku (Omohara) and Hikarie. And on May 22, Japan’s tallest structure, the Tokyo Sky Tree, will officially open.
But ahead of the highly anticipated event, architect Kengo Kuma‘s equally eye-popping Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center has opened its doors. The ambitious new 7-story structure – characterized by stacked stories, one on top of the other – features a roof deck and café, lecture rooms, exhibition spaces and a tourist information center/lounge. It actually wouldn’t look out of place as part of the Bathhouse town where most of the movie Spirited Away takes place.
photos by akasaka moon
May 14, 2012 at 12:30 pm
Beautiful!
May 15, 2012 at 2:10 am
Wow! So you *can* actually build high buildings that look beautiful, warm and inviting. Admire Kengo Kumo for this building.
February 25, 2013 at 7:35 pm
My friend is going to visit this amazing building when she’s in japan next week. We had Kengo Kuma in Dundee last week to give a talk about the on-going development of his design for the V&A at Dundee and he talked about this amazing building. I love that it is Edo houses one on top of the other and I love that my friend is going to get to visit it. I only wish it had been there when I was in Tokyo.
February 26, 2013 at 1:29 pm
@Di – I’m so jealous that she’s going! I haven’t even seen it myself… 🙁