Tokyo’s Hotel Okura, one of the world’s grandest hotels, partially closed at the end of August for renovation. The Main Wing of the property was built in 1962, followed by a South Wing in 1973, taking the total number of rooms to 796. The property has a fascinating history and has hosted countless high profile guests over the years, including many foreign heads of state. Its location close to the US Embassy means it has played host to every President of the United States since Richard Nixon.

The closure brings an end to the amazing story of the Main Wing of the hotel. It will be demolished entirely, leaving only the South Wing whilst redevelopment takes place. The land freed up by the demolition will be filled with a new $980 million 550 room mixed use tower. Construction is expected to be complete by spring 2019 so the property can be ready for when Tokyo hosts the Olympics in 2020.

The original Main Wing of the building was hailed as a modernist masterpiece when it was built, but it differed from other modern properties in that it still incorporated many traditional Japanese design features. The exterior walls adhered to the namakokabe style seen on numerous ancient buildings in the country. The lights were particularly famous, as they looked like traditional lanterns but with the convenience of modern fittings.

In its heyday the Hotel Okura was renowned for its grandeur. The huge banquet hall was lined with beautiful tapestries, each of which was carefully preserved. Each room in the hotel was also decorated with carefully chosen fabrics to give it a relaxing feel and help guests to unwind.

The plans for the new tower have been met with a mixed response, particularly from the huge number of people that loved the old Main Wing. It will be interesting to see what the response is once it is finished. It could be a case of people longing for the commercial architecture they have lost rather than the celebrating the new tower in its place. Our architects in London look to this project with interest as an example of how to take traditional elements and combine them with modern architectural sensibilities.