St. Mary's Cathedral Tokyo (Katedoraru Sei Maria Daiseido) is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tokyo. It is located in the Sekiguchi neighborhood of Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan.
The original structure of 1899 was a wooden building in the Gothic style. It was burned during World War II. The present church, designed by Tange Kenzo, dates from 1964. Kenzo Tange won the competition for the reconstruction of this church in 1961. It was built with assistance from Wilhelm Schlombs, architect to the Archdiocese of Cologne, the engineer Yoshikatsu Tsuboi, who worked with Tange on many of his projects and the Zurich architect Max Lechner.
The plan of the building is in the form of a cross, from which eight hyperbolic parabolas rise up. These open upwards to form a cross of light which continues vertically the length of the four facades. To this rhomboid volume other secondary constructions are added, including the baptistry and the baptismal font. Their rectangular volumes contrast with the symbolic character of the cathedral. The bell tower is 60 m in height and stands at a little distance from the main building of the cathedral. The exterior surfaces are clad in stainless steel, which gives them a special radiance in keeping with the religious character of the building.
St. Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo Commentary
"The plan of the building is in the form of a cross, from which the walls, eight hyperbolic parabolas, rise up at an angle. These open upwards to form a cross of light which continues vertically the length of the four facades. To this rhomboid volume other secondary constructions are added, their rectangular volumes contrasting with the symbolic character of the cathedral with which they communicate by way of pathways and platforms. The baptistry and the baptismal font are among these secondary buildings. The bell tower is 60 m in height and stands at a little distance from the cathedral proper, whose interior is finished in exposed concrete. The exterior surfaces are clad in stainless steel, which gives them a special radiance in keeping with the religious character of the building."
— Udo Kultermann. Kenzo Tange: Works and Projects. p175.
"Architectural creation is a special form of comprehending reality. It works upon and transforms reality through the construction of a substantial object of use. The artistic form of this object, on the other hand, has the two-fold quality of both mirroring and enriching reality. This understanding of reality which takes place through architectural creation requires that the anatomy of reality, its substantial and spiritual structure, be grasped as a whole..."
— Kenzo Tange. from Robin Boyd. Kenzo Tange. p113.
References
1. Archdiocese of Tokyo, retrieved 14 March 2010
2. Udo Kultermann: Kenzo Tange: Works and Projects, Barcelona: Gustavo Gili, S.A., 1989. ISBN 84-252-1400-9. p175.
Location : 3-15-16 Sekiguchi, Bunkyo-kuTown: Tokyo
Country: Japan
Completed: 1964
Renovated: 2007
Height: 39.4 m
Floor area: 3,650 m²
Architect: Kenzo Tange
Structural engineer: Yoshikatsu Tsuboi
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