"Fuji TV" by Wei-Te Wong is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
The Fuji Television building in Tokyo, Japan, is almost ordinary… except for the 1,322-ton stainless steel ball stuck on it! Designed by internationally recognized architect, Kenzō Tange it was completed in 1996.
Inside the steel ball or, Hachitama Spherical Observation Room, visitors can get 360-degree views of the Tokyo waterfront as well as the TV station’s namesake, Mount Fuji.
The 24th floor holds the former set used for a popular TV show, Mezamashi TV. A “time warp telescope” allows views of the waterfront today and as it looked about 200 years ago. On the 5th floor is a gallery space and the ground floor has cafes and shops.
Tange is a Pritzker prize winning architect and completed many notable structures around Japan such as the Hiroshima Peace Center and Memorial Park. He also taught at Tokyo University, one of Japan’s most prestigious universities. While there he mentored some of the next generation’s renowned architects.
See more of Japan’s unusual architecture here or discover another crazy building here.
