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The Sony Building was designed by Japanese architect
Official Sony Building Site
Buildings and structures completed in 1966 Buildings and structures demolished in 2017 1966 establishments in Japan Buildings and structures in Chūō, Tokyo Ginza Sony {{Japan-struct-stub
The Sony Building was designed by Japanese architect Yoshinobu Ashihara
was a Japanese architect noted for projects such as the Komazawa Olympic Gymnasium (1964) and the Sony Building (1966).
Education and career
Ashihara was educated at both the University of Tokyo and Harvard University. After graduating from H ...
, and opened on April 29, 1966 in Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
's Ginza
Ginza ( ; ja, 銀座 ) is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi. It is a popular upscale shopping area of Tokyo, with numerous intern ...
district ( Chūō-ku).
It is located at the Sukiyabashi crossroads on Harumi-dori, and is accessible directly from the Ginza subway station via exit B9.
The building is an example of Postmodern architecture
Postmodern architecture is a style or movement which emerged in the 1960s as a reaction against the austerity, formality, and lack of variety of modern architecture, particularly in the international style advocated by Philip Johnson and Henry- ...
.
The main showroom section of the building is split level floors up to the 6th floor, with each quarter of the showroom elevated from the previous by , creating a continuous showroom space. Another unusual feature of this building is that it leaves a small square facing the intersection open, creating a performance/display space that the architect referred to as "Sony Square".
A major renovation was made in 1992, with the exterior restored to its original condition. Exterior louvers and tiles were replaced, new entrance doors were installed, and the small square at the corner of the intersection was renovated. The original facade, a light display consisting of a large number of 5-inch cathode ray tubes, was replaced with 74 aluminum panels. Interior renovation was done at this time as well.
(in Japanese)
The Sony Building closed on March 31, 2017 and was demolished on the same year and the new Sony Building will be built on this same location, and will open in 2022. During this period, the land will be turned into a park for recreational use through the summer of 2020, when the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games were set to take place.
See also
*Sony Building (New York)
550 Madison Avenue (formerly known as the Sony Tower, Sony Plaza, and AT&T Building) is a postmodern skyscraper at Madison Avenue between 55th and 56th Streets in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Designed by Philip Johnson ...
References
External links
Official Sony Building Site
Buildings and structures completed in 1966 Buildings and structures demolished in 2017 1966 establishments in Japan Buildings and structures in Chūō, Tokyo Ginza Sony {{Japan-struct-stub