Asahi Beer Hall, Commercial building in Azumabashi, Japan
The Asahi Beer Hall is a commercial building next to the Sumida River with a black exterior and a large golden sculpture mounted on its roof. The structure contains restaurants in upper floors that offer views across the river and over the eastern neighborhoods of Tokyo.
French designer Philippe Starck created this modern structure in 1989 as part of the Asahi Breweries headquarters complex. The building marks an important moment in Tokyo's architectural evolution during the late 1980s modernization period.
The building displays design choices that connect to beer making – its shape echoes a glass, while the golden sculpture on top represents foam from the brewing process. These artistic details turn the structure into a landmark that reflects the brewery's identity and heritage.
The restaurants in the upper floors are reached through the main entrance and provide good viewing angles of the surroundings. Visitors can also admire the building's architecture from the nearby bridge over the Sumida River, which offers a free vantage point.
The 360-ton golden rooftop sculpture was built using techniques normally employed in submarine construction. Specialists from the shipbuilding industry were required to accomplish this unusual and complex engineering feat.
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