Demolition of the Hotel Okura South Wing kicks off today, marking the end of an era for the hotel’s former modernist architectural style. The 13-story annex building will be completely razed by December 2022.

The 388-room South Wing was built in 1973 as an annex to the main hotel across the street. The main hotel was built in 1962 and designed by Yoshio Taniguchi (his architectural firm also designed the South Annex). It was demolished in 2015, much to the dismay of architectural fans worldwide, and reopened in 2020 as a glass skyscraper with hotel and office space.

Operations of the South Wing ended in September 2020. Between October 2020 and September 2021, the vacant building was leased to the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Back in 2019, an environmental assessment for the Roppongi Itchome Project, the name for the South Wing site, was submitted to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government with plans for a 180 meter tall, 43-story apartment tower and a 115 meter tall, 21-story office tower. The two buildings would have a total floor area of 111,000 sqm (1,194,000 sq.ft), of which almost 60% will be for residential apartments. Hotel Okura, however, has yet to officially decide on a future use for the property. 

Source: The Daily Engineering & Construction News, November 8, 2021.

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