The Architectural Philosophy of Togo Murano

He was committed to designing buildings on the basis of careful consideration on the relationship between architecture and human beings while keeping in mind the social function of buildings. These ideas were expressed in a roundabout way through the South Wing of the Shin-Daibiru Building, and they were clearly evident in the exterior design of the Shin-Daibiru Building. Although the entire building is composed of straight lines, clever design tricks are used to soften the impression of rigidity that one gets from straight lines. They can be seen in the balconies on the four corners of the fourth floor, each of which is decorated with sculptures of two sheep. The sheep sculptures with rounded contours by Mihiro Fujimoto change the impression given by the building’s external appearance. In addition, despite the fact that this office building was originally focused on financial concerns, it provides a large common space with elevator halls, corridors, staircases, kitchenettes, and lavatories due to a philosophy that emphasizes the relationship between architecture and human beings.

Murano’s architectural philosophy would be applied to the North Wing of the Shin-Daibiru Building as well.