Century Tower: Foster Associates Build in Japan

Colin Davies. Editor Ian Lambot.

Watermark Publications. 1992

First edition Hardback. 240pp.

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.

The project also involved and documents the work of Otl Aicher for the signage of this building.

'Ian Lambot trained as an architect and worked briefly for the Richard Rogers Partnership before arriving in Hong Kong in 1979, where he lived for the next 18 years. After stints running an architectural model-making studio and working with Foster and Partners – on the early stages of the Hong Kong Bank project – he set up Watermark Publications, publishing in the years since numerous books on architecture, engineering and design, including four volumes on the work of Norman Foster and, of course, City of Darkness: Life in Kowloon Walled City.

He now lives in the UK, where he continues to design and publish books on subjects that interest him.

Text courtesy: Blue Lotus Gallery.'