Asakusa Information Center

Since the area in front of the Kaminarimon gate is currently divided by roadways, it is difficult to get the feel of a coherent temple public square, and there is no space to welcome the visitors coming out of the Nakamise shopping street. This project turns the whole facade of the building into a multi-layered, rhythmical arched bridge where the people can freely come and go, and access tourist information while enjoying beautiful views of the new Tokyo tower, Ueno Park and the bustling crowd of the Sensoji temple below. This space feeds on the free human energy permeating the Asakusa district, and by confronting the area with its three-dimensional representation, it gives a stronger sense of coherenece to the temple square and makes the bustle of the district even livelier.The rising bridge-like spiral also functions as an air chamber, and brings warm air to the upper floors.