Hotel Okura Tokyo to be redeveloped
Yesterday it was announced that the Hotel Okura Tokyo in Toranomon, Minato-ku, will be redeveloped. The new hotel is expected to be completed in time for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
The current 408-room hotel was completed in 1962 - two years before Tokyo hosted the 1964 Summer Olympics. The annex building was completed in 1973. It has been a landmark hotel and has hosted numerous foreign dignitaries and VIPs, the most recent being US President Obama who stayed in the hotel during his visit to Tokyo in April.Read more
Future redevelopment in Akasaka 7 Chome
Landowners in Akasaka 7 Chome have formed an association with a view to redeveloping their neighbourhood. Although details are yet to be confirmed, its possible that a developer is already involved in the planning.Read more
Groundbreaking ceremony for Japan’s first 60-storey apartment building
Developers of a 60-storey apartment building in Shinjuku held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 12.
The high-rise condominium will be the tallest apartment building in Japan (based on the number of floors) when complete in 2017. At 208.97m tall, it will be just 43cm shy of the tallest apartment building in the country - The Kitahama in Osaka.Read more
Japan Pearl Center at risk of demolition
The owners of the Japan Pearl Center building, a well-known modernist building in Kobe’s old foreign settlement area, recently announced that they are considering demolishing the 62-year old building.
The four-storey building was designed by architect Yoshimitsu Mitsuyasu completed in 1952. It was built by Hyogo Prefecture as a centre for the local pearl industry. It was fitted out with fluorescent lighting, which was very new at the time. The building survived the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake which devastated much of the city. Read more
Historic Shinsaibashi Daimaru store to be demolished
J. Front Retailing recently announced plans to redevelop the 81-year old Daimaru Department Store in Shinsaibashi, Osaka.
The store was designed by US-born architect William Merrell Vories and completed in 1933. Design-wise, the building is considered to be the best department store in Japan. It is a well-known example of ‘Taisho Modern’ architecture which is a mix of art deco and neo-gothic styles. In 2003, it made the DOCOMOMO Japan list of the top 100 modern buildings in the country. Read more
Akasaka Twin Tower demolition to begin next month
After several years of delays, Mori Trust will finally begin their redevelopment of the Akasaka Twin Tower buildings near Tameikesanno Station in Tokyo.
Taisei Corporation will begin demolition work of the 31-year old buildings in mid-May.
The Parkhouse Grand Minamiaoyama Takagicho to be demolished and rebuilt
Mitsubishi Jisho Residence announced that they will be demolishing and rebuilding The Parkhouse Grand Minamiaoyama Takagicho* apartment building after serious construction faults were discovered prior to completion. The construction company, Kajima Corporation, is expected to bear most of the reconstruction costs.
Apartments in the 7-storey condominium in Minato-ku were initially priced from 85 ~ 350 million Yen with an average price of 1,400,000 Yen per square meter. 83 of the 86 apartments were already under contract by December when online message boards began to report rumours of some structural issues with the building. Read more