ABOUT KUDAN-KAIKAN TERRACE
1)
Preserving history and opening up to the future.
The former Kudan Kaikan was completed in 1934 (Showa 9) as a military hall, and after the war, it was beloved as a theatre, accommodation facility, and banquet hall.
This project preserves and restores parts of the building while also building a new building with 17 stories above ground and three stories below ground on the demolished portion, aiming for intensive use centred on offices.
2)
Kudan Kaikan Terrace will create a next-generation office that promotes new working methods based on "health" and "safety and security" while protecting the Kudanshita scenery in people's hearts.
1. A 90-year history of changing names and roles to keep up with the times
https://kudan-kaikan-terrace.jp/about/story01/
3)
The construction of the former Kudan Kaikan was started in 1928 (Showa 3) as part of the "Showa Grand Ceremony Commemoration Project" to commemorate the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Showa. Construction began in 1932 (Showa 7) under the name "Military Hall" and took over two years to complete.
4)
After completion, it became the headquarters of the Reservists' Association, which played a leading role in the project and provided training and lodging for military reservists throughout the prewar and wartime periods.
During the February 26 Incident in 1936 (Showa 11), the martial law headquarters was set up here, bringing it to the forefront of the times. It is also known as the wedding of Aishinkakura Fuketsu and Saga Hiro in 1937 (Showa 12).
5)
After the end of the war in 1945 (Showa 20), it was requisitioned by GHQ (General Headquarters of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers) and used as lodgings for the Allied forces under the name "Army Hall".
After the de-requisition, it was loaned free of charge to the Japan War-Bereaved Families Association, renamed "Kudan Kaikan," and reopened as a restaurant and wedding hall in 1957 (Showa 32). Since then, it has been renovated several times.
6)
Kudan Kaikan's accommodation, wedding hall, theatre, and other businesses were so popular that it was difficult to book during certain seasons due to its favourable location and classical, stately atmosphere. Many famous artists held concerts in the hall.
7)
However, in 2011 (Heisei 23), the Great East Japan Earthquake damaged it. The land and the building were returned to the government, and the hall was closed.
8)
In 2017 (Heisei 29), a public competitive bidding was held, and Tokyu Kajima Construction was the successful bidder. Reconstruction began, and the building will be completed in 2022 (Reiwa 4), marking a new start as Kudan Kaikan Terrace. In 2019 (Reiwa 1), the preserved parts were registered as tangible cultural properties.
2. A fusion of modernism and historical design
https://kudan-kaikan-terrace.jp/about/story02/
9)
A competition was held in 1930 (Showa 5) to construct the former Kudan Kaikan (then known as the Military Hall), and Takeo Ono submitted the winning proposal.
10)
The "Design Guidelines" presented at the competition stated, "5. The architectural style may be discretionary, but the appearance should have the dignity of national sophistication and express the distinctive features of grandeur," indicating that a monumental building and historicist expression were desired.
11)
The style adopted is known as the "Imperial Crown Style," which features a tiled sloped roof on the turret and parapet of a concrete building.
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This architectural style was often used for public offices and other facilities from the Taisho period's end to the Showa period's beginning. It is a valuable document in the history of modern architecture, with its emphasis on verticality and the harmony of numerous ornaments.
13)
The new building follows the vertical exterior design of the old Kudan Kaikan, emphasizing verticality and harmonizing with the preserved parts.
The interior also has a "retro-modern" theme, aiming for unity with the plastered walls and marble mosaic floors. In addition, the preserved parts have been partially restored to their original design based on photographs, postcards, and other documents.
3. Facilities at Kudan Kaikan Terrace
https://kudan-kaikan-terrace.jp/about/story03/
14)
An office surrounded by water and greenery:
Retro modern style blooms on the waterfront. Facing Uchibori-dori Street, the office is located in the heart of the city, where high-rise buildings will continue to grow. Still, it also faces Ushigabuchi, the moat of the former Edo Castle, and the lush greenery of Kitanomaru Park.
From Kudanzaka, you can appreciate the excellent location and dignified appearance of Kudan Kaikan Terrace.
15)
Coexisting with the former Kudan Kaikan:
Many people who arrive at the site from the crossing at Kudanshita Station, where three subway lines intersect, are guided to the main entrance of the former Kudan Kaikan (hereafter referred to as the preserved building), which gradually comes into view and proceed into the site.
Kudan Square, where many plants have been planted as part of this project, welcomes visitors warmly.
16)
View into the interior from the preserved entrance hall:
The main entrance to the preserved building is the main entrance for the entire building. You enter the building through the preserved entrance hall, passing under the large eaves, the tops of which and the lighting fixtures have been restored to their original designs.
17)
A junction between the various spaces open to the moat:
Passing through the low-ceilinged preservation hall, you will come to an open plaza reminiscent of a European terminal with a semi-outdoor feel.
The moat side is made of an entire glass curtain wall, and it serves as a hub connecting the office entrance on the first floor, the commercial area on the basement floor, and the banquet halls and conference zones on the second and third floors.
18)
The new building welcomes visitors:
From the entrance hall, you will reach the office entrance through the plaza and straight ahead. The deep and spacious space has a terrace facing the moat, providing a relaxing atmosphere.
19)
The design theme is retro-modern:
In this preserved building, where prewar architectural designs remain in many places, the new interior theme is "retro-modern." The design aims for a sense of unity through harmony rather than contrast. The plastered walls and marble mosaic floors create a slightly different atmosphere.
20)
A captivating view:
From the workspace, a panoramic view spreads out from the Otemachi skyscrapers to the east to the Imperial Palace forest, Kitanomaru Park, and the grounds of Yasukuni Shrine to the west.
The surrounding area is filled with sights that will never bore the viewer, including the Nippon Budokan, Ushigafuchi, the giant torii gate of Yasukuni Shrine, and the National Diet Building beyond the forest.
21)
Retro-modern common areas:
The elevator hall and the corridor leading from it are finished in a retro-modern design, and the atmosphere of prewar architecture and design experienced at the entrance continues to the workspace.
22)
A place to relax in the city:
The lounge on the 5th-floor turret is an integrated indoor and outdoor space with a private garden. It is a place to relax daily and can be rented for private use.
The 5th-floor rooftop garden is divided by the northern turret into an office worker zone and a general zone with shops. Each zone is a lush garden with a different atmosphere.
23)
Working in a preserved building:
To allow visitors to experience the atmosphere of the building, the office area of the preserved building has a skeleton-like design with no ceilings on the second and third floors, exposing the plumbing and other equipment.
You can feel the pleasant natural breeze when you open the vertical windows that resemble those used during construction.
24)
Preserved and restored common areas and facilities:
The two staircases retain their original design from the time of construction. A brass pipe was attached to the marble central balustrade wall opening. Still, this decoration was removed during the wartime metal donation and has now been restored to its original state.
The light wall in the elevator hall on the 4th-floor reuses stained glass from the demolished large hall.
25)
Pedestrian network connecting surrounding areas:
The space in front of the north facade, previously a parking lot, has been reborn as a 24-hour green plaza.
A deck walkway for general pedestrians (the moat-side terrace) has been installed along the moat, connecting the plaza and creating a pedestrian space that continues from the adjacent Kagayaki Plaza to Showakan and Kudanzaka. An alleyway has been developed between Kagayaki Plaza and Uchibori-dori Str, as well as an eet and moat-side terrace.
26)
Preserving and restoring the former Kudan Kaikan:
The conservation building features finishes and decorations, both inside and out, rarely seen in modern, newly constructed buildings. We are working to preserve and restore these.
ABOUT KUDAN-KAIKAN TERRACE
https://kudan-kaikan-terrace.jp/about/
