The shimmering, curved façade which embraces the V88 Building in Ginza, Tokyo, is a perfect example of the functional beauty of stainless steel in architectural applications.
By Joanne McIntyre, Stainless Steel World
The Ginza neighbourhood of Tokyo is famous for its combination of high-end branded stores and trendy cafes with shops dating back over a century. In 2007, the completion of the De Beers Ginza Building – now known as the V88 Building – brought a particularly striking stainless steel design to the famous area.
316 stainless panels
The exterior façade is a remarkable design that stands out even amongst its neighbouring, high-end brand buildings lining Ginza’s Marronnier Dori road. The warped façade is made of grade 316 stainless steel panels, which incorporate three-dimensional twists into the building design.
The curtain wall was built by the architectural metalworking company Kikukawa, which created a dynamically undulating stainless steel 316 curtain wall composed of unique three-dimensional curved panels with a ‘pearl vibration’ surface finish.
Each of the panels was laser cut from flat grade 316 stainless steel sheets, which were then positioned on three-dimensional radially curved racks. Each panel was carefully welded onto an individual backing piece before final finishing and assembly.
“Gentle curving streams of light”
On their website, the architectural firm which designed the building, Jun Mitsui & Associated Inc., described the motivation behind the striking design: “What we imagined firstly was an image of gently curving streams of light. Like a light ribbon held above the ground or the aurora that changes its colour and shape continuously, we thought it should have a bright and graceful form with curved lines that look like a woman’s beautiful silhouette. We decided to brighten the stainless steel to appear like a diamond glittering along the silhouette to give it a sensitive look. The building has been constructed with stainless steel rolled into a curved shape. Each stainless steel surface has a special finish, so the appearance reflects the light of the sky and the town sensitively and its appearance changes with the movement of the sun.”
About KIKUKAWA
KIKUKAWA is a bespoke architectural metalworker that provides comprehensive metalwork solutions. For ninety years, it has worked with notable architects and interior designers from Japan and abroad, producing unique metal interior and exterior works.
The architects imagined gently curving streams of light when designing the façade.
About this Tech Article
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