DESA1002 'Nine Quarter City' - Kyle Wolsky

Abstract

The building is located in the heart of Asakusa, along the Nakamise Dori, a popular shopping stretch. The Nakamise Dori has a rich history where it has found itself being destroyed and re-built several times due to political changes, earthquakes and fires of WWII. This building offers large spaces where the public can journey through the past of Asakusa, each floor offering several forms of information on the different era’s of the Nakamise Dori. Finally you reach the roof of the building where large views of the present day shopping stretch can be absorbed and appreciated. The structural feature which climbs up the walls of the staircase and folds back down into the building echoes the fragmented nature of Tokyo and its cyclic history. It also provides a striking feature for which the building can be remembered for and also acts as a notable meeting place for shoppers. The bottom floor of the building offers large open spaces where people can continue shopping, essentially drawing people off the street into the building. Structurally my building is very simple with thick concrete walls turning its back on the buildings behind it and a light weight steel framed structure opening up to the streets of Asakusa inviting people inside.My building is clad in very translucent materials due to the very rich night life of the Asakusa region. The nature of this translucent glass allows the building to be lit up at night and the triangular structure will be emphasized by its glow. Essentially I want my building to become a part of the Asakusa experience and become a destination which all tourists have to visit on their journey to the Nakamise Dori.