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As one would expect, there aren't many surface parking lots in the downtown core of Sapporo, Japan's fourth largest city. Those that do exist are quickly being transformed by developers into state-of-the-art building complexes. A one-hectare site formerly home to a nine-storey office building occupied by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company, a supplementary parking garage, and a salmon museum, presented such an opportunity for renewal.
The replacement NIKKEN SEKKEI-designed project is under construction and will hold office space within a 28-storey tower climbing to an apex of 124 metres. Facilities for Hokkaido Television Broadcasting will also be hosted within the development. An attached low-rise building will house libraries and a 2,300-seat function hall and arts centre.
The steel-framed structure is rising quickly thanks to multiple cranes servicing the site. The development is being spearheaded by the local urban redevelopment association, which is tasked with overseeing the implementation of the town's planning vision. Aiming for completion in 2018, it is hoped that the project will open the door to more city centre development and entice developers to revitalize disused spaces.
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