Dentsu Tower
Dentsu Tower - architect Ateliers Jean Nouvel The Dentsu Building or Dentsu Headquarters Building, is a high-rise building in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The building houses the corporate offices of Dentsu.Description: 48 floors rise to 213.34 m (700 ft), it is the twelfth-tallest building in Tokyo and second-tallest in Shiodome, next to Shiodome City Center. It was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel and completed in 2002. It was built over the site of Tokyo's first train station, and sits aside the Hamarikyu Gardens, formerly the site of a shōgun's vacation home.The Dentsu building is an example of contemporary architecture, featuring collectors on the roof to utilize rainwater for its plumbing system, as well as ceramic dots on the windows which, in concert with computerized window shades, control climate control expenditure. The Dentsu building has 70 elevators, including a special elevator reserved only for VIPs and executive management.With the exception of sludge, all waste materials produced in the construction of the Dentsu Building were recycled. @wikapedia
Nakagin Capsule Tower Building
Nakagin Capsule Tower BuildingThe Nakagin Capsule Tower Building[a] was a mixed-use residential and office tower in Ginza, Tokyo, Japan designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa. Completed in two years from 1970 to 1972, the building was a rare remaining example of Japanese Metabolism (alongside the older Kyoto International Conference Center), an architectural movement emblematic of Japan's postwar cultural resurgence. It was the world's first example of capsule architecture ostensibly built for permanent and practical use.The building, however, fell into disrepair. Around thirty of the 140 capsules were still in use as apartments by October 2012, while others were used for storage or office space, or simply abandoned and allowed to deteriorate. As recently as August 2017 capsules could still be rented (relatively inexpensively, considering its Ginza locale), although the waiting list was long.In 2022, demolition of the building was initiated. Attempts to raise funds to save it and campaigns to preserve it as a historic landmark were unsuccessful. The tower was scheduled to be disassembled starting April 12, 2022, with component units repurposed.Design & ConstructionThe building was composed of two interconnected concrete towers, respectively eleven and thirteen floors, which housed 140 self-contained prefabricated capsules. Each capsule measured 2.5 m (8.2 ft) by 4.0 m (13.1 ft) with a 1.3 m (4.3 ft) diameter window at one end and functioned as a small living or office space. Capsules could be connected and combined to create larger spaces. Each capsule was connected to one of the two main shafts by only four high-tension bolts and was designed to be replaceable. Although the capsules were designed with mass production in mind, none of the units had been replaced since the original construction.The capsules were fitted with utilities and interior fittings before being shipped to the building site, where they were attached to the concrete towers. Each capsule was attached independently and cantilevered from the shaft, so that any capsule could be removed easily without affecting the others. The capsules were all-welded lightweight steel-truss boxes clad in galvanized, rib-reinforced steel panels which had been coated with rust-preventative paint and finished with a coat of Kenitex glossy spray after processing.The architect said that this building reflected that asymmetry is part of the Japanese tradition.Demolition and update proposalsThe capsules could be individually removed or replaced, but at a cost: when demolition was being considered in 2006, it was estimated that renovation would require around 6.2 million yen per capsule. The original concept was that individual capsules would be repaired or replaced every 25 years; but the capsules deteriorated since the repairs were never done..Opposing slated demolition, Nicolai Ouroussoff, architecture critic for The New York Times, described Nakagin Capsule Tower as "gorgeous architecture; like all great buildings, it is the crystallization of a far-reaching cultural ideal. Its existence also stands as a powerful reminder of paths not taken, of the possibility of worlds shaped by different sets of values."The demolition of the tower began on April 12, 2022. Some individual capsules may be preserved or recycledDigital archiveDemolition of the Nakagin Capsule Tower Building began on April 12, 2022. Since the building was regarded as a masterpiece of Metabolist architecture, a project team led by Gluon had launched a 3D digital archiving project to preserve the entire building in 3D data in order to preserve its architectural value. In this project, the entire building was scanned using a combination of laser scan data that accurately measures distances in millimeters and more than 20,000 photographs taken by cameras and drones. Augmented reality of the Nakagin Capsule Tower Building was also unveiled. @wikapedia. Art Print: https://shop.studiosanderpatelski.nl
Shiseido Ginza
Shiseido Ginza - Ricardo Bofill Taller de ArquitecturaYear: 2001 & Total Area: 6.000Rather than merely constructing an updated version of the former Shiseido Parlour Building, the company established the new building as the home of its corporate culture in the 21st Century. The new Ginza Building is the base for disseminating information about the brand around the world.The close relationship between Shiseido and Tokyo’s Ginza district goes back many years. In 1872, Shiseido was founded in Ginza as Japan’s first Western-style pharmacy. The operation of institutions such as the Shiseido Parlour and Shiseido Gallery strengthened the brand’s corporate image in its main field, the cosmetics business. While contributing to Ginza’s visual amenity, the building stands as an expression of Shiseido’s aesthetic values. Central to the latter role is the parlour and gallery, which are a part of the company’s history in Ginza.The Shiseido New Ginza Building has eleven stories above ground and two stories below. It consists of five zones – Gallery Zone, Plaza Zone, Shiseido Parlour Zone, Beauty Salon Zone and a new Restaurant. Each zone is based on a distinct concept, and has been designed in such a way that they create a coherent whole.As in the old Shiseido Parlour Building in the early 1930s, a stairwell is used to create an open, modern and elegant atmosphere. The exterior wall has been clad with Western-style red stucco. Floors nine to 11 provide a 360-degree-view of the district and the surrounding area.The newer building is higher than the old one. This is possible due to a relaxation in the planning regulations. The Japanese government modified them in 1997, in order to promote the revitalization of commercial areas. The Shiseido New Ginza Building was the first development in the city to take advantage of this reform.The project received the “Tokyo Architecture Award 2002” by the Tokyo Association of Architectural Firms. @bofill.com
Shiseido Ginza Building
Shiseido Ginza Building - architects Takenaka CorporationThis building is Shiseido’s Hub for New Value Creation at its Birthplace of Ginza — Consolidating and Streamlining Shiseido’s Offices to Enhance Productivity.The new building is constructed at the site of the former head office (built in 1966), and has 10 floors above ground and 2 floors underground. The building mainly houses Shiseido’s offices, but also includes a multi-purpose hall along with commercial space.With the completion of Shiseido Ginza Building, Shiseido’s offices, which are currently dispersed throughout various areas in Tokyo, is scheduled to be consolidated and streamlined into this new building for the purpose of enhancing company productivity.About the Shiseido Ginza BuildingShiseido aims to become “a global player representing Asia with its origins in Japan,” with a variety of efforts toward new growth of the company. As part of these efforts, Shiseido Ginza Building is positioned as Shiseido’s “hub for new value creation” by consolidating the related departments at the company’s birthplace with its origin of beauty and wellness. Thus, the company aims to promote the creation of new values that look toward the future, and further build brand equity.At Shiseido Ginza Building, workspaces are located on floors 6 through 10. The building also includes a multi-purpose hall, “Shiseido Hanatsubaki Hall”; a beauty facility, “Shiseido Life Quality Beauty Center,” which provides makeup advice to people with serious skin concerns; a French restaurant, “L’Osier”; as well as tenants.The main design of the building incorporates the “hanatsubaki” (camellia) motif that symbolizes Shiseido, and the “karakusa” (arabesque) pattern. Each and every one of the aluminum shades that cover the entire building is designed with an original “MIRAI* KARAKUSA” (*future)pattern that appears to reach out toward the future, adding a note of modernity and elegance on Namiki-dori street on which the building stands.Furthermore, the new head office has been constructed to be environmentally friendly, with having greenery on the rooftops and the use of highly eco-friendly materials and equipment, thereby allowing CO2 emissions to be cut by approximately 30% in comparison to the old building. (The building acquired the highest rank of “S” in the CASBEE index, which measures the environmental friendliness of buildings.) @shiseido.com @ Takenaka.com
Tokyu Plaza Ginza
Tokyu Plaza Ginza - architects Nikken Sekkei Ltd Tokyu Plaza Ginza is a 50,000-m2 retail facility in Ginza, the high-end district of Tokyo. Created under the concept “Vessel of light”, the building is characterized by a dynamically faceted glass exterior with a cut glass motif inspired by the Japanese traditional craft of “Edo Kiriko”. This particular design creates an optical phenomenon whereby the transmission and reflection of the sunlight, gives the façade a different expression at different times of the day and with the changing of the weather. Because of the mirror-effect of the glass, the façade also reflects the urban scenery and the dynamic hustle and bustle of the city. At the same time, it reveals its inner activities to the city, creating a dialogue between the inside and the outside world.In order to achieve the sleek appearance of the building, structural silicone glazing was adopted to eliminate external framing. Like the carved glass pattern seen on the surface of Edo Kiriko, the façade creates a large 3D diamond-shaped pattern, which is 6 stories high and 500 mm deep. This large scale pattern makes the building stand out from its surrounding context. The unitized glass assembly is comprised of both low iron glass and heat reflective coated glass that emphasize the three-dimensional profile of the building form. The low iron glass panel is treated with a 1 mm ceramic dot pattern of graduating density. At night, this plane is illuminated by light fixtures integrated into the interior aluminum mullions.The building itself incorporates public spaces, which include the rooftop Kiriko Terrace and the high-ceiling Kiriko Lounge on the 6th floor, the design provides areas where visitors can freerly relax in style. The Kiriko Lounge is a public area situated at the middle level of the building that offers a broad view across the city. With its 27m-high atrium, and its vantage point above the busy intersection, the lounge opens up to the commercial activities of the city. In the high-density and limited spatial conditions of Ginza, such an open and elevated space offers an opportunity for people to gather and interact in an upscale environment. The continuity between the architecture and the urban context promotes the attractive spirit of this city. Photo/ tekst Koji Fujii / Nacasa & Partners Inc. & @archello.com
Maison Hermès
Maison Hermès - architect Renzo PianoMaison Hermès is a building in Tokyo, Japan. It is located at 5-4-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. Constructed between 1998 and 2001, it was designed by Renzo Piano assisted by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson of Berkeley, California and in collaboration with Takenaka Corporation. The building is the flagship store and corporate headquarters of Hermès, the French luxury empire of Jean-Louis Dumas.It is a 6,000 square metre (65,000 square feet) structure that houses workshops and offices, a shopping space, exhibition areas and multimedia quarters. In addition to a roof garden at the top of the building, there is also a recess which divides the long facade into two, forming a courtyard that delivers an access to the subway two levels below.
Armani Ginza Tower
Armani Ginza Tower - Architects: Massimiliano & Doriana FuksasArea: 7370 m² & Year: 2007It is always difficult to crystallise the image of someone, particularly a person as well known as Giorgio Armani, one of the most famous figures in the world. It is not a coincidence that Andy Warhol portrayed him as a one of the icons of our age.For the Armani Ginza Tower, it was considered essential to project not just his creativity as a designer but his special aura, recreating the atmosphere of the atelier of this Italian creative genius, as well as his aesthetic code and his personal image. How to translate these qualities into architecture? How to combine the concept of luxury with restrained elegance, the concept of absolute modernity with a lasting style... the Armani style?How to translate the concept of his featherweight clothes, the delicacy and the craftsmanship of his embroidery, the sensuality of the interplay between body and fabric?His vision and relentless research into materials, together with his use of delicate, translucent and radiant colours are key factors that prompted this consideration.We explored a host of ideas, we experimented with new textures, modelled, sculpted, emptied, dematerialised spaces using light, the evanescence of an intimate sensation that is, however, born in from the exterior.We have sought to reveal the world of Armani through a range of screens, as light as gossamer and as precious as silk. The sophisticated image of the Giorgio Armani brand rich in translucence and intimacy is juxtaposed with the immediacy and modernity of the spaces dedicated to Emporio, identified by more expansive areas in which shafts of white light cut through and are reflected within the setting.But the most important aspect that we wanted to incorporate along the internal pathway between the zones is the element of surprise. To seek to incite emotion is as much the remit of the architect as it is of the designer.Working with the designer has been an unusual assignment for us, usually it is the building, the external architecture that takes precedence over the content. For the Ginza project the opposite has been true: the exterior is a glass tower, totally merging into the Ginza skyline, its glass surface mirroring and relaying reflections of the sky and the surrounding buildings, full of different lights and colours throughout both day and night. The permeability of the surface is toned down by a cascade of brightly lit leaves that delicately float down the facades and, according to the time of day or the season, are modified in intensity and colour. This has been like working under a microscope, examining every tiny little detail, trying to find the ultimate solution. @ArchDaily & Text description provided by the architects.
Mikimoto Ginza II
Mikimoto Ginza II - architect Toyo ItoMikimoto has been a cultivator of luxury pearls since 1893. In 2003 they commissioned Toyo Ito to design their head office in the fashionable Ginza district, Tokyo. The structure of the nine-storey building is made of steel and reinforced concrete but its character stems from the cutout detailing in the form of irregular shaped windows sporadically placed on the facade.DesignThe concept is based on a building that is suspended by its facade, leaving the internal spaces column-free.The building has an apparent simplicity, comprised of a prism perforated by a series of irregular windows, like a Swiss cheese. These holes appear to be arranged at random. However, since some of these are placed in the corners (where typically would be a column) there is a sophisticated construction system to enable such a facade.Because of the design, it required a strong structure that would allow for freely placed openings, but at the same time the material needed to not easily expand when heated. For this reason Ito opted for a mixed system of metal plates and concrete. Steel plates of 1.2 cm were prepared and fixed by a web of studs in order to maintain a uniform thickness of 20 cm, and then concrete was poured between them.
De Beers Ginza Building
De Beers Ginza Building - Architects: Jun Mitsui & Associates ArchitectsArea: 4022 m² & Year: 2008Ginza is one of the most famous commercial districts even in the world. Marronnier Street is a gracious, active street lined with creatively designed buildings. The De Beers Ginza Building design is intended to reflect the sophisticated Ginza streetscape and fit appropriately into this dynamic context.In the process of the design, the first image that came to mind was a twisting form of light in motion. A ribbon of light coming out of the earth sparkles in the atmosphere as an aurora with ever-changing color and form. The Dw Beers Ginza building representing gracious light like aurora was felt most appropriate for the site.The fluid and flexible form of the building was also inspired by the beauty of the female outline. The sparkling light on the surface of the gently curved form of the building subtly suggests the shimmering reflection of diamond. This was the aesthetic essence of the De Beers Ginza building design.The expression of the curtain wall varies continuously as it ascends and as it reflects the ever-changing appearance of the sky. The exterior surface of the building reflects the sunlight and Ginza city lights in a subtle way and the impression of the façade as time passes. On the exterior of the building, specially-finished stainless steel pipes are horizontally laid-out creating sparkles of light throughout the surface of the building.Throughout history, the Ginza district has been an incubator for design trends reflecting the changing times. I hope that the De BeersGinza building becomes an integral part of Ginza history. Its design is intended to reflect the excitement and importance of Ginza’s ever-changing appearance. Photographs:Naoomi Kurozumi & Text description provided by the architects.
The new façade of Louis Vuitton Matsuya Ginza
The new façade of Louis Vuitton Matsuya Ginza - Architects: Jun Aoki & AssociatesArea: 1475 m² & Year: 2013The new façade of Louis Vuitton Matsuya Ginza is inspired by the history of Ginza, the city that used to be known for its art deco design. Ginza was the entrance of Tokyo, adjacent to Shimbashi, from which the very first railway station of Japan stretched to the port and led to the foreign Country. The “modern” atmosphere the forefront Ginza acquired derived from art deco patterns in relation to edo-komon, the pattern of traditional Tokyo and the highly abstract and stylized geometric pattern in repetition.Based on Louis Vuitton’s damier, which also is a repeated geometric pattern, the façade of Louis Vuitton Matsuya Ginza becomes our first softer version of damier, imbued with delicacy and richness that is found in organism.From edo-komon to art deco. Art deco to the soft damier. This is a journey to the history of Ginza.Gentle bulges and dents elaborate the façade of opal beige reliefs. With these pattern, the façade reveals various appearances in sunlight, and also during the night, the LED lights behind the reliefs lit the façade to render another expression reminiscent of Louis Vuitton’smonogram. Text description provided by the architects & Photographs:Daici Ano
Ginza Place
Ginza Place - Architects: Klein Dytham architectureArea: 7350 m² & Year: 2017Ginza Place, a major commercial development in Tokyo’s famous Ginza shopping district, occupies arguably the most prominent recent development site in Japan. Ginza’s reputation for elegance and sophistication has made it a center of Japanese culture and commerce for more than a century. Ginza Place completes the neighborhood’s central intersection by introducing a bold and well calculated facade to the streetscape.Tokyo based Klein Dytham architecture handled the facade and building massing, and was tasked with creating a public face that synthesized the surrounding architecture and captured the energy of the intersection. At the same time, the design had to reflect the sophisticated character of the district. Ginza is known not only for its elite fashion houses and art galleries, but for its renowned collection of contemporary structures. Many of the biggest names in Japanese and international architecture have built in Ginza.The realty arm of Sapporo, a company better known for beer, has owned the site for over 100 years. Seeking to create a building befitting a site of this importance, they decided to demolish the existing structure and hold a competition for the replacement. Klein Dytham architecture worked with leading Japanese construction company Taisei Corporation to realize their winning massing and facade proposal.The facade takes its inspiration from sukashibori, a type of open latticework found in traditional Japanese crafts. Typically used in small items like baskets or tableware, the panel system used here was blown up to match the scale of the architecture. The permeability of the system allowed the facade design to be opened and closed strategically. The flexible architectural skin is applied unevenly over the building mass, breaking the large facade into smaller sections.The larger composition of the facade takes cues from the surroundings, especially the Seiko Building (Wako Building) on the opposite corner of Ginza’s main crossing. The Seiko Building became a symbol of Ginza upon its completion in 1932, and its clock tower remains t he icon of the area. Klein Dytham analyzed the facade, breaking it up into a short podium, a taller mid section, and a vertical extension at the top suggested by the upward thrust of the clock tower This increase in scale as the building rises from small to medium to large was repurposed in Ginza Place. The paneled facade is clearly divided into three sections, which reference the height of surrounding structures. The pattern is smallest at the base to establish a more intimate scale at pedestrian level. The panel facade begins on the second floor, where a wide aperture was made to reveal a Nissan show room behind.The size of the panels increase in the middle and upper sections. The lower two sections of the panel system are both self contained; they swell and shrink parabolically to form an enclosed pattern. But the higher section continues to grow upwards, culminating in full floor-height panels at the building’s crown. This dramatic expression of vertical movement puts Ginza Place in direct conversation with the famous Seiko clock tower across the intersection.Each of the three sections are separated by horizontal breaks of floor-to-ceiling glass. The glazed sections on the third and seventh floor peel back to create broad balconies at the corner. Both balconies are occupied by restaurants that overlook Ginza crossing. Exposing public functions at the corner connects the activity in the building to the vibrant streets below. It also creates an opportunity for patrons to see and be seen in a way that is rare in Ginza, a district where most facades are formal and closed.Creating a panel system of this complexity required close collaboration between Klein Dytham architecture and Taisei. The front face of each panel is made of a single pi ece of aluminum plate. Incisions were made in the plates which were then folded, welded at the seams, and powdercoated. Each panel was prefabricated and given an individual address to record its position on the facade.The facade interprets and reflects the lineage of craft that is the mainstay of Ginza. The panel system acknowledges traditional Japanese forms but repurposes them to create a permeable skin that welcomes the community in and contributes to the social atmosphere of the neighborhood. Photographs:Nacasa & Partners
Shopping Complex Ginza Six
Shopping Complex Ginza Six - architect Yoshio Taniguchi.Ginza Six is a luxury shopping complex located in the Ginza area of Tokyo,by architect Yoshio Taniguchi is jointly developed by Mori Building Company, J. Front Retailing, Sumitomo Corporation and L Catterton Real Estate. The name Ginza Six or G Six reflects the building address in Ginza 6-chome as well as the desire to provide an exceptional "six-star" shopping experience.HistoryGinza Six was built on the location of the former Matsuzakaya department store, which was Ginza's first ever department store. The complex was inaugurated on 17 April, 2017, in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe, Governor of Tokyo Yuriko Koike, Chairman of LVMH Bernard Arnault, and President of J. Front Retailing Ryoichi Yamamoto, among others. It is the largest retail space in Ginza.ArchitectureThe building has space for up to 241 stores, including flagship facilities for Fendi, Kenzo, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Yves Saint Laurent and Van Cleef & Arpels It also contains six floors of office space (floors 7—12), 24 restaurants and cafes, a banquet hall, a 480-seater Noh theater and a 4,000 square-meter rooftop garden. A terminal for tourist buses, a tourist information center, currency exchanges and duty exemption services cater to tourists.Ginza Six has an art program run by Fumio Nanjo of the Mori Art Museum. The complex focuses on contemporary Japanese art, in an attempt to "sp[eak] to the creativity associated with modern-day Japan rather than the traditional Japanese aesthetic." The Central atrium artworks are a symbol of GINZA SIX and the inaugural exhibits included works by Yayoi Kusama and Patrick Blanc, among others.
Kabukiza Tower
Kabukiza Tower - HistoryThe Kabuki-za was originally opened by a Meiji era journalist, Fukuchi Gen'ichirō. Fukuchi wrote kabuki dramas in which Ichikawa Danjūrō IX and others starred; upon Danjūrō's death in 1903, Fukuchi retired from the management of the theater. The theater is now run by the Shochiku Corporation which took over in 1914. The original Kabuki-za was a wooden structure, built in 1889 on land which had been either the Tokyo residence of the Hosokawa clan of Kumamoto, or that of Matsudaira clan of Izu.The building was destroyed on October 30, 1921, by an electrical fire. The reconstruction, which commenced in 1922, was designed to "be fireproof, yet carry traditional Japanese architectural styles", while using Western building materials and lighting equipment. Reconstruction had not been completed when it again burned down during the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake. Rebuilding was finally completed in 1924.The theater was destroyed once again by Allied bombing during World War II. It was restored in 1950[3] preserving the style of 1924 reconstruction, and was until recently one of Tokyo's more dramatic and traditional buildings.The 1950 structure was demolished in the spring of 2010, and rebuilt over the ensuing three years.[3] Reasons cited for the reconstruction include concerns over the building's ability to survive earthquakes, as well as accessibility issues. A series of farewell performances, entitled Kabuki-za Sayonara Kōen were held from January through April 2010, after which kabuki performances took place at the nearby Shinbashi Enbujō and elsewhere until the opening of the new theatre complex, which took place on March 28, 2013.ArchitectureThe style in 1924 was in a baroque Japanese revivalist style, meant to evoke the architectural details of Japanese castles, as well as temples of pre-Edo period. This style was kept after the post-war reconstruction and again after the 2013 reconstruction.Inside, with the latest reconstruction the theatre was outfitted with four new front curtains called doncho. These are by renowned Japanese artists in the Nihonga style and reflect the different seasons.PerformancesPerformances are exclusively run by Shochiku, in which the Kabuki-za Theatrical Corporation is the largest shareholder. They are nearly every day, and tickets are sold for individual acts as well as for each play in its entirety. As is the case for most kabuki venues, programs are organized monthly: each month there is a given set of plays and dances that make up the afternoon performance, and a different set comprising the evening show. These are repeated on a nearly daily schedule for three to four weeks, with the new month bringing a new program.
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