Monumental Bubble Economy Designs: Hiroyuki Wakabayashi
Japan has many well-decorated architects. Japanese minimalistic design concepts have changed the conception of architecture globally.
One of the names that still fly under the radar is Hiroyuki Wakabayashi. However, his buildings have a unique look that makes them stand out even in cities like Tokyo.
Wakabayashi was born in 1949 in Kyoto. It was in his native town, where he designed his first building. A pickle shop in 1990. His first appearance in the Japanese capital was only two years later, where he designed the Humax Pavillon in Shibuya. Today the building hosts the official Disney store just two corners away from the famous Scramble Square. The Humax Pavillon is held in a black, futuristic design that distinguishes the post-modern complex from the rest of the street.
In 1995, Wakabayashi designed the Rapi:t express train, connecting Osaka’s Namba Station with the Kansai International Airport. The design won the Blue Ribbon Design Award. In the same year, he also designed the Uji Station for Keihan Electric Railway that marks the final stop on the Uji Line.
Another one of Wakabayashi’s buildings is the Pacific Square Miyamasuzakajo, an office and commercial building in Tokyo. The 38m high building is home to shops, restaurants, and office space. The oval-formed windows on the front make it hard to read the nine floors from the outside.
Wakabayashi’s buildings are a perfect example of the monumental and brutalist style, buildings were designed during Japan’s bubble economy era.
