Sony Building (Tokyo)

This article is about the building in Tokyo. For the building in New York, see 550 Madison Avenue.

The Sony Building is a building in Tokyo designed by Japanese architect Yoshinobu Ashihara. It is located in Tokyo's Ginza district (Chūō-ku) and opened on April 29, 1966.^[1]

The Sony Building in Ginza

Location

It is located at the Sukiyabashi crossroads on Harumi-dori, and is accessible directly from the Ginza subway station via exit B9.^[2]

Layout

The main showroom section of the building is split level floors up to the 6th floor, with each quarter of the showroom elevated from the previous by 90 cm (35 in), creating a continuous showroom space.^[1][3] Another unusual feature of this building is that it leaves a small square facing the intersection open, creating a performance/display space that the architect referred to as "Sony Square".^[3]

History

A major renovation was made in 1992, with the exterior restored to its original condition. Exterior louvers and tiles were replaced, new entrance doors were installed, and the small square at the corner of the intersection was renovated. The original facade, a light display consisting of a large number of 5-inch cathode ray tubes, was replaced with 74 aluminum panels. Interior renovation was done at this time as well.^[3][4]

The original Sony Building closed on March 31, 2017 and was demolished in the same year . The new Sony Building (called the “Sony Park building” was built on this same location, and will open on January 26, 2025.^[5][6]During this period, the land was turned into a park for recreational use through the summer of 2020, when the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games were set to take place.^[7]

See also

• 550 Madison Avenue, formerly known as the Sony Building in New York