Imabari Public Hall（今治市公会堂）

Kenzo Tange, World Class Architect Rio Imamura

Earlier this year, the paper reported The following is taken from his Though Tange’s Imabari period that the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka, autobiography called “All started from of life was short, I’m glad to find previously known as “Akasaka one pencil”, published by the Nikkei that he left a dozen of his great Prince” in Chiyoda, Tokyo, will Newspaper. “Unique and unrivaled works in Imabari. We are proud of be demolished next March, due to was my class of the elementary. his excellent accomplishment as the aging of the facility. It was the Three architects were borne from a worldclass architect. Imabarians hotel where I used to visit foreign my classmates, including me. Two should know that he was awarded, clients when I started my career as a others were Shozo Tokunaga, who in 1987, the Pritzker Architecture businessman and I was proud to tell went to Waseda University, and Atsuo Prize, comparable to the Nobel Prize them that this new hotel was designed Shigematsu, who went to Tokyo in Architecture, that honors living by Kenzo Tange (1913-2005), from Institute of Technology. architects for their complete body of my high school Senpai (senior) in work. Imabari, Ehime Pref. The building When I returned to Imabari for the was 40-stories and shined beautifully Honorary Citizen Award, I was Kenzo Tange is most remembered in in aluminum lamination. shown, as a surprise, my elementary Japan as the architect of the National school reports from Grades 2 to 6. Gymnasium for the l964 Olympic Tange’s biographical introduction I didn’t expect that they retained Games, Tokyo Municipal Government websites usually starts from such old records but I am truly Twin Building Complex, and Hiroshima High School where he surprised myself that I had maintained Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park & graduated, comparable to the current throughout pretty respectful records Museum Complex. Hiroshima University, abridging his on all the study subjects. younger days in Shikoku. In 1926, I entered Imabari Middle Kenzo Tange was born in Osaka, School (now Imabari West Senior but lived in Hankow and Shanghai, High School). My special hobby accompanied by his father, who then was astrology and telescope was an expat banker. His father was construction. When a 6” reflection invited back to succeed his suddenly lens was obtained fortunately from deceased brother, who worked as the my magazine related councilor, I had financial manager for a local towel the body made by one of the local manufacturer in Imabari. He accepted ironworks. I could see the moon fully the offer and the entire family enlarged to the brim of my telescope. relocated from China to Ehime Pref. I saw the spot of the Sun, the belts of Saturn, Galactic stars, one by one. Kenzo entered Imabari’s #2 I could skip the last year of Middle elementary school in Misuka. His School and left Imabari to enter, playgrounds included Fukiage Park Hiroshima High School.” inside the Imabari Castle and beaches of suburban Sakurai. Imabari Civic Hall (今治市民会館）

3 i-News August / September 2010