Outline
| designer | Kenzo Tange, Yoshikatsu Tsuboi (structural designer) |
| builder | OBAYASHI CORPORATION |
| completion | 1958 |
| structure | Reinforced Concrete, 8 stories |
The East Wing of the Kagawa Prefectural Office Building is a modern building constructed with advanced technology as the main prefectural office building at the time. Today, it is connected by a connecting corridor to the police headquarters and the main building of the prefectural government, also designed by Kenzo Tange. Seismic upgrading work to install seismic isolators was completed in 2019. In 2022, it was listed as an important cultural asset.
Feature
The East Wing of the Kagawa Prefectural Government has been commended for expressing traditional Japanese wooden architectural features, such as thin columns and long, thin vertical beams, in an RC structure. In order to preserve this feature, seismic isolators were employed during the seismic upgrading works. In addition, the ground floor of the building is open to the public by opening it up as an open space, with no offices located on the ground floor. The method of opening up the ground floor as a piloti was adopted in city and prefectural halls across the country after the construction of the East Wing of the Kagawa Prefectural Government.
Advanced technologies, such as deformed rebars and gas pressure welding of the main reinforcement bars, were used. These techniques have resulted in thin columns that are inspired by wooden architecture.
One of the features of the East Wing of the Kagawa Prefectural Government is the use of a core system. Core systems are a method of securing large spaces without columns or walls by concentrating load-bearing walls in parts of the building. Within the types of core system, the central core system, which places the core (lifts, stairs, toilets, etc.) in the center of the building, has enabled pillar-less office spaces to be created.
