Century Tower: Foster Associates Build in Japan. This item is unavailable.Century Tower: Foster Associates Build in Japan

This book follows the progress of the Century Tower project - a 20-storey office building in Tokyo - from its inception in 1986 to its official opening in May 1991. The book recounts in detail the story of the building's design and construction, looking at the collaboration that developed between an English architectural practice - Foster Associates - and the Japanese construction industry. In a move which surprised many, Foster Associates chose to work directly with the Ohbayashi Corporation, one of Japan's leading contractors. The purpose and benefit of this working relationship are explored in detail, as are many other aspects of working in Japan. Produced with the full co-operation of the the client, architect and contractor, this book documents the full process of the building's design. The design philosophy, the structural and services engineering, contractual arrangements, earthquake and disaster prevention systems, legislative approvals and all aspects of designing and working with industry - surprisingly an unknown concept in Japan - are explained in full to create a record of this building.