- GC Osaka Building - Shigeru Ban (坂茂) - 2000

It's about time that I documented my travels again instead of fucking around all the time.

I was visiting Hector's work area and I recalled this one building I had not found the last time I was in Osaka. This is listed in the Phaidon Atlas so I thought I will pay it a visit this time round.

The GC Osaka office building is located in this relatively quiet street in Chuo-ku. First impression was that it was very reflective, the curtain wall encases the whole structure. It was rather peculiar too because of the huge trellis coming off the side of it.



The steel structure is covered in particle board that has a timber-like finish and is meant to provide for the fire safety and overall finish. Vierendeel trusses on every other floor hold up the whole thing and between the trellis and the building are verandahs where people can wander out of. The fire stairs is attached to the trellis.



I am ambivalent about the building. The timberlike finish looks daggy on close inspection and the trellis sticking off the side is just crass. It was probably made on a tight budget as you can tell from just looking at the materials. I thought I even saw some fake crawlers on the trellis to make it look denser... However the inside of the offices look spacious and bright, so it's not so bad afterall. I wonder how people use the stepped verandahs. Probably as cigarette break hangouts.