Archive Tower

Year: 2022 Spring @ GSD
Program: Archive + Mix Use
Location: Tokyo
Instructor: Mohsen Mostafavi

Archiving is a process through which individuals and collectives reflect on their history and identity. Space for archives, therefore, becomes a symbol of the culture and history of the community. Meanwhile, the exchanging process of both digital and physical materials has the potential to be integrated into the archiving process.

The goal of the project is to create a monument that holds the archive of the entire city and at the same time exchange the contents with the public. The tower holds different programs including a bath at the underground level which connects the subway station with the canal. On the top level, a restaurant and a rooftop bar provide a cozy place for people to enjoy the view of the city.

Spatially, the tower is organized through a single module that rotates 90 degrees on each level. Within each module, the archiving programs are embedded in the module while the exchanging programs are located at the peripheral. Structurally, the tower is supported by a central concrete core. The weight of the rotating concrete modules is counterbalancing.

The north façade of the building is an urban monument where the cultural objects get displayed to the tourists and citizens. The other facade of the building is made of glass tubes to allow greater visibility.