Sou Fujimoto

Ginza Building . Tokyo

Sou Fujimoto . + Kawasaki Brand Design

The Miyawaki Building is an unassuming 3-storey European-style brick building dating from 1932. For the past 40 years it had been operating as a restaurant, but was recently purchased by Kawasaki Brand Design. The 31-year old owner, Rikihiro Kawasaki, originally had plans to demolish the building and replace it with a high-rise tower designed by architect Sou Fujimoto.

A historic brick building fronting Ginza’s Showa Dori Avenue has been saved from demolition after the new owner had a change of heart and scrapped his redevelopment plans in favour of restoring the 81 year old building.
The building has been since been restored and is now home to the ‘Ginza Retro Gallery MUSEE‘, which is being curated by Kawasaki.