Photo/Illutration An artist’s rendition of the new main building of the Imperial Hotel Tokyo ((c) Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects)

The operator of the Imperial Hotel Tokyo deliberately chose a young architect to design its new main building close to the Imperial Palace to regain the “jewel of the Orient” reputation bestowed on the second-generation institution torn down in 1968.

That led the company to select 42-year-old Tsuyoshi Tane to design the new main structure in the capital’s Chiyoda Ward. It is scheduled to be completed in fiscal 2036.

The envisioned building will boast a dramatic white wall with its back side standing taller than the front like a stairway. The design drew its inspiration from palaces and pyramids.

“I worked in a way to ensure the architecture will not offer an oppressive atmosphere or spoil the townscape,” Tane told a news conference.

The Imperial Hotel first opened its doors in 1890. The accommodation facility’s second-generation main building was designed by world renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright and started operations in 1923, gaining the nickname of “jewel of the Orient.”

The current third structure was erected in 1970.

Hideya Sadayasu, president of the hotel’s operator, Imperial Hotel Ltd., explained the decision to give the job to Tane.

“When the hotel marks the 200th anniversary of its opening (in 2090), it will be operating in the planned new main building,” said Sadayasu. “We wanted to work with a young architect.”

The number of guest rooms will be slashed to ensure each one provides patrons with even larger space.

The main building’s replacement work is expected to start in fiscal 2031. Refurbishing the structure, along with the neighboring tower, is projected to cost between 200 billion yen ($1.76 billion) and 250 billion yen.

Born in 1979, Tane works mainly in Paris, and was the brains behind the designs of the Estonian National Museum and the Hirosaki Museum of Contemporary Art in Japan’s northeastern Aomori Prefecture.

Tane attracted public attention for his design for the new National Stadium in Tokyo's Shinjuku district that was used as the main venue for the year-long delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics. His design, which was on a shortlist of 11 final candidates, was based on “kofun” burial mounds that are common in Japan.

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