Many tourists notice the skyscraper building of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office and visit its free observation deck. Not everyone, though, knows its creator – the world renowned architect Kenzo Tange.
Kenzo Tange lived a long life of 91 years (1913-2005) and started large-scale work from 1945. One of his first creations was the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The tragedy of Hiroshima was also his own tragedy as Tange's parents were sadly killed in the atomic explosion.
After his work in Hirosima, Kenzo Tange became the leading architect of Japan and was considered to be the architect of the future. In 1964, the Olympic Arena was built under his influence where the idea of an overlapping-shell was used for the first time. The main features of Tange’s creations were a combination of both international and Japanese styles, as well as of innovation and classics – an everlasting style.
There are a few more creations of his in Tokyo – Shinjuku Park Tower, the Fuji Television Building in Odaiba and the Mode Gakoen Cocoon Tower in Shinjuku. The last one was finished after his death.
Within modern life’s speed and constant change, the buildings designed by Kenzo Tange, though seeming to have been created long ago, still have look of the futere about them – a sign of mastery by one of the great architects.
