Shizuoka Press and Broadcasting Center, Metabolist office building in Ginza, Japan.
The Shizuoka Press and Broadcasting Center is an office building with thirteen modules arranged around a central cylindrical core. The structure uses a triangular footprint and combines glass and steel elements with cantilevered office boxes that extend outward from the center.
Architect Kenzo Tange completed this building in 1967 as the first built example of Japan's post-war Metabolist movement. The project established new standards for modular architecture and adaptive urban development in the country.
This building represents Japanese architectural innovation with its modular system, reflecting the rapid growth of Tokyo in the 1960s. The stacked office modules show a new way of building that puts flexibility and expansion at the center of design.
The building sits near Shimbashi Station and is easy to reach by public transit. The best views of the modular structure come from the outside, as the interior is typically not open to the public.
The central cylindrical core houses all essential utilities, allowing the outer modules to remain completely independent from service shafts. This solution was groundbreaking and made it possible to reshape or remove the office boxes in the future without disruption.
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