The Sofitel Hotel once stood on the Ueno park skyline like a bizarrely massive chest of drawers, at once a paean to modern design aesthetics and traditional Shinto values. It was demolished in December 2006 after only 12 years of offering 83 4-star rooms in central Tokyo, leaving a weirdly-shaped gap on the city-scape viewed from Shinobazu pond. Like the cherry blossoms that frame so many shots of the Sofitel, it was only a temporary beauty, one that serves to remind us of the short time we`re here, and how any one of us can be called away at any moment.
The Sofitel and Cherry Blossoms. Thanks to sevargmt for this image.
Described by Frommers as `an oasis of refined beauty, excellent service, and great views`, and by PassionAsia as `occupying Tokyo’s best location`, you have to wonder why the Sofitel failed. It was completely refurbished in 2000, only 8 years after it was first built- and surely yet to recoup it`s building cost. Its suites on the 25th floor cost ï¿¥58,000, with singles and doubles on the lower floors the still pricey ï¿¥30,000 and ï¿¥40,000 respectively. It boasted such amenities as TV`s with internet-viewing capacity (no email though…), irons and ironing boards, concierge center, fitness centre, French restaurant Provence with real-life French chef, and more. What went wrong?
Perhaps it was swallowed in a mountain of debt, perhaps high-class esecutives thought its architecture too ridiculous, or perhaps its location was not so great, its management awful, or organized crime ran it into the ground with pay-offs. I don’t know the answer, but whatever the case, now it`s only a fading memory.
Designed by the architect Kiyonori Kikutake as a series of 5 stacked trapezoids, it was intended to embody the Shinto concept of the `Tree of Life`, a lightning-bolt-shaped cut of white zig-zag cloth tied around the thick boles of ancient trees.
This `tree of life` symbol is prevalent in all Shinto shrines around Japan, both tied around trees like lightning bolt charm bracelets, and hanging like Christmas decorations from a shrine`s heavy eaves. The bolt chiefly honors the trees, which are viewed as sacred- an idea reinforced in traditional Japanese art, where dead ancestors are represented as branches on the tree of life.
I first saw the Sofitel in my first year in Japan, 5 years ago, no doubt on a trip with my then-girlfriend. We would have looked at it and wondered – `what the heck is that?`. She`d been a student in a Tokyo University for several years, but didn`t recognize the hotel. Now, 5 year later, I went back to Ueno with a new girlfriend, a new life and job and home in back of me, purposefully looking for the Sofitel for my Structures series. But, of course, it was gone. All things pass, I guess, and time waits for no man.
My friend Bruno`s shot of the Sofitel- another reminder of the impermanence of things, especially in a city of transients like Tokyo. Bruno was here for a few years, now he`s back in Canada close to completing a Law degree. He sent me this shot of the Sofitel unbidden, starting me off thinking about putting up a post of aggregated photos. Thanks Bruno!
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My good friend Jason Collin`s photo of the Sofitel- Jason is yet another person leaving, in the next few weeks, after 5 years in Tokyo- headed back to the States with his Japanese wife. Good luck, Jason!
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Twin Towers over Shinobazu pond- thanks to Naotakem for this image.
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Beautiful crisp shot looking up the Sofitel- thanks to Caspar B. for this image.
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A panorama by Jason.
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The Sofitel and cherry blossom over Shinobazu pond. Thanks to sevargmt for this image.
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The Sofitel by night, looking up. Thanks to ataq411 for this image.
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Gorgeous dusk shot- thanks to Fui for this image.
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The Sofitel by night, looking across the pond. Thanks to ataq411 for this image.
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The Sofitel from space- thanks to Googlemaps for this image.
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My only shot in this series, the current view over Shinobazu pond, with no Sofitel in sight.
FACTFILE
Location – Ueno, Tokyo
Entry – No chance, it`s gone.
Facts – Completed in 1994, refurbished 8 years later in 2000, demolished only 6 years after in 2006.
Architect – Kiyonori Kikutake, the same guy who built the similarly trapezoidal Edo-Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku.
Highlights – Memories of seeing it and thinking- `what the heck is that?`, thoughts of `mono no aware` or `the sadnes of being human’- the impermanence of things.
TOKYO
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