Sunshine 60, Mixed-use skyscraper in Higashi-Ikebukuro, Japan
Sunshine 60 is a mixed-use tower with 60 floors above ground and five basement levels, rising 239.7 meters into the sky above Toshima ward. The building was constructed using reinforced concrete in the International Style and houses offices, shops, and restaurants along with an observation deck on the top floor.
The site served as Sugamo Prison until 1971, where Japanese war criminals were held after World War II, and was only then cleared for the new project. The tower opened in 1978 and shaped Tokyo's skyline as the tallest building in Asia until 1985.
The name Sunshine was chosen to mark a fresh start after the dark past of the site, and today families and visitors come here to shop or eat. Thousands of office workers fill the upper floors each weekday, while the lower levels buzz with restaurants and shops where people meet throughout the day.
The upper observation deck on the 60th floor can be reached in just 35 seconds by one of the 40 high-speed elevators running from the basement. On clear days, the view extends far beyond Tokyo to Mount Fuji and Tokyo Bay, while cloudy weather shows the closer city surroundings.
The tower carries the number 60 in its name because it has exactly 60 floors and was planned in 1960 according to the Japanese calendar, which was Showa 35. Construction required driving over 3000 piles into the ground to stabilize the massive structure on the soft soil.
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