Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka, Former luxury hotel in Kioicho, Japan
Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka was a high-rise tower with 39 floors and a facade of aluminum and glass in Kioichō. Architect Kenzō Tange designed the building, which stood as a prominent structure in the neighborhood until its closure.
The site previously held the Kitashirakawa Palace from 1930, where Yi Un, the last crown prince of Korea, lived. After World War II, the hotel tower replaced the palace and was later torn down in 2013.
The hotel functioned as a central meeting point for Japanese politicians due to its location near the National Diet buildings.
The building was taken down in 2013 using the Taisei Ecological Reproduction System, which worked from top to bottom to reduce dust and noise. This method allowed for controlled removal floor by floor.
After the Tōhoku earthquake in 2011, the building temporarily housed evacuees from Fukushima in its rooms. This use continued until shortly before the final closure.
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