basic information:
- Kagawa Prefectural Government Office
- Government
- Kenzo Tage
- Takamatsu City, northeastern Shikoku
- 1958
short description:
The Kagawa Prefectural Goverment Office is a considered a masterclass of Japanese Modernism. Kenzo Tange met Le Corbusier while studying in Hiroshima and was influenced and intrigued by the west’s modernist movement, supposedly prompting his idea for the office. The office consists of a low two-story building and a eight-story tower surrounding a courtyard on three sides. The office has housed government offices and been open to the public for over 60 years.
significance:
- While completely made of reinforced concrete Tage chose to imitate the traditional post-and-beam wood construction of Japanese temples and shrines
- It was the first building of its kind in Japan to use a reinforced concrete “spine” through the center of the tower for seismic protection
Images and drawings:
Kagawa Prefecture Office Building, Aerial
Kagawa Prefecture Office Building, Building & Tower
Kagawa Prefecture Office Building, Stair
Kagawa Prefecture Office Building, Lobby
Kagawa Prefecture Office Building, Plan
Kagawa Prefecture Office Building, Massing & Vertical Travel Diagram
sources:
- https://www.archdaily.com/618128/classic-japan-episode-3-kagawa-prefectural-government-hall-kenzo-tange?ad_source=search&ad_medium=projects_tab&ad_source=search&ad_medium=search_result_all
- https://www.sosbrutalism.org/cms/15889353
- https://lampoonmagazine.com/article/2023/08/29/kenzo-tange-kagawa-prefectural-government-offices-japan/
- https://www.johnbarrarchitect.com/post/2018/12/07/docomomojapan04-kagawa-prefectural-government-offices-takamatsu-kenzo-tange
- Google Maps
