Spiral (building)

Spiral
Spiral exterior
Alternative names	Wacoal Art Center
General information
Location	Minato, Tokyo
Address	5-6-23 Minami Aoyama
Country	Japan
Completed	1985
Owner	Wacoal
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Fumihiko Maki
Website
www.spiral.co.jp/en

Spiral ramp

Spiral, also known as the Wacoal Art Center, is a multi-use building in Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan, that was designed by architect Fumihiko Maki. It was commissioned by lingerie company Wacoal and completed in 1985.

Spiral includes exhibition spaces, a multipurpose hall, cafes, restaurants and bars, beauty salons, and select shops.

The defining feature of the building is a seemingly-floating spiral ramp (15 m in diameter) that encircles the rear gallery space and climbs to the second floor. The exterior facade of aluminum and glass reflects the jumbled nature of the surrounding streetscape.

The building was selected by the American Institute of Architects for the R.S. Reynolds Memorial Award in 1987. In 2012, the building received the JIA 25 Years Award from the Japan Institute of Architects.

Spiral is a nexus of cultural life in Aoyama, presenting music, art, film, fashion and theater events.

Sources

• Tajima, Noriyuki (1996). Tokyo: A guide to recent architecture. London: Ellipsis.
• "Ellipsis Guide:Tokyo:Spiral". Retrieved 2006-06-18. – web version of print source

External links

• "Spiral web" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2006-06-17.
• "Spiral web".
• Spiral Building at Archiplanet