Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower

Skyscraper located in Tokyo

35°41′30″N 139°41′49″E / 35.69167°N 139.69694°E / 35.69167; 139.69694Construction started2006Completed2008OpeningOctober 2008HeightRoof204 meters (669 ft)Technical detailsFloor count50 above ground
3 below groundDesign and constructionArchitect(s)Tange AssociatesStructural engineerArupMain contractorShimizu Corporation

Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower (モード学園コクーンタワー, Mōdo gakuen kokūn tawā) is a 204 metres (669 feet), 50-story educational facility located in the Nishi-Shinjuku district in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. The building is home to three educational institutions: Tokyo Mode Gakuen (fashion vocational school), HAL Tokyo (special technology and design college), and Shuto Ikō (medical college). Completed in October 2008, the tower is the second-tallest educational building in the world and was the 17th-tallest building in Tokyo. It was awarded the 2008 Skyscraper of the Year by Emporis.

Design

Mode Gakuen invited architects to compete to build its new Tokyo location, stipulating that the building could not be rectangular. About 50 architects submitted more than 150 proposals. The winner had a curved shell of white aluminum and dark blue glass, criss-crossed by a web of white diagonal lines. The architects, Tange Associates, said its cocoon-like shape symbolizes nurturing the students inside;^[1] they also said they wanted the building to revitalize the surrounding area and to create a gateway between Shinjuku Station and the Shinjuku central business district.^[2] The building earned the firm the Emporis 2008 Skyscraper of the year award.^[3]

Facilities

Built on the former site of the now-demolished Asahi Life headquarters, construction of the Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower began in May 2006 and was completed in October 2008.^[4]^[2] The 204 metres (669 feet)-tall, 50-story tower is the second-tallest educational building in the world (surpassed only by the main building of the Moscow State University) and was the 17th-tallest building in Tokyo.^[4] The vertical campus can accommodate 10,000 students for the three vocational schools that occupy the building. Tokyo Mode Gakuen, for which the building in named after, is a fashion school. The other schools, HAL Tokyo and Shuto Ikō, are information technology and medical schools, respectively, that are operated by Mode Gakuen University. Each floor of the tower contains three rectangular classrooms that surround an inner core. The inner core consists of an elevator, a staircase and a support shaft. Every three floors, a three-story student lounge is located between the classrooms and faces three directions: east, southwest and northwest.^[2]

Inside the tower, 2016
Detail of the façade, 2016
The tower in the evening, 2019
The tower at night, 2019
In the 2009 skyline.

References

^ Takano, Kiyomi (January 14, 2009). "Unusual structures grab attention". The Daily Yomiuri. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c Young, Niki May (January 23, 2009). "Recently completed Cocoon Tower makes education design as easy as A-B-C". WorldArchitectureNews.com. Archived from the original on October 7, 2014. Retrieved January 26, 2009.
^ "Tokyo's Cocoon Tower selected as 2008 Skyscraper of the Year". Europe Real Estate. January 22, 2009. Retrieved January 26, 2009.
^ ^a ^b "Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2007. Retrieved January 26, 2009.

External links

Media related to Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower at Wikimedia Commons

Emporis Skyscraper Award

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One Wall Centre (2001)
Kingdom Centre (2002)
The Gherkin (2003)
Taipei 101 (2004)
Turning Torso (2005)
Hearst Tower (2006)
Het Strijkijzer (2007)
Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower (2008)
Aqua (2009)
Hotel Porta Fira (2010)
8 Spruce Street (2011)
Absolute World (2012)
The Shard (2013)
Wangjing SOHO (2014)
Shanghai Tower (2015)
VIA 57 West (2016)
Lotte World Tower (2017)
MGM Cotai (2018)
Lakhta Center (2019)
Crown Sydney (2020)
Valley Amsterdam (2021)

Skyscrapers and towers in Tokyo

List of tallest structures in Tokyo

Completed

Over 300 m	Tokyo Skytree (634 m, 2012) Tokyo Tower (333 m, 1958) Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower (325 m, 2023)
200–300 m	Toranomon Hills Station Tower (266 m, 2023) Toranomon Hills Mori Tower (255 m, 2014) Midtown Tower (248 m, 2007) Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building No. 1 (243 m, 1991) Sunshine 60 (240 m, 1978) NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building (240 m, 2000) Tokyo Midtown Yaesu Yaesu Central Tower (240 m, 2022) Roppongi Hills Mori Tower (238 m, 2003) Shinjuku Park Tower (235 m, 1994) Tokyo Opera City Tower (234 m, 1996) Sumitomo Fudosan Roppongi Grand Tower (231 m, 2016) Shibuya Scramble Square (229 m, 2019) Tokyu Kabukicho Tower (225 m, 2023) Shinjuku Mitsui Building (225 m, 1974) Shinjuku Center Building (223 m, 1979) Saint Luke's Tower (221 m, 1994) Shiodome City Center (216 m, 2003) Dentsu Building (213 m, 2002) Shinjuku Sumitomo Building (210 m, 1974) Toshima Incineration Plant (210 m, 1999) Ark Hills Sengokuyama Mori Tower (207 m, 2012) GranTokyo North Tower (205 m, 2007) GranTokyo South Tower (205 m, 2007) Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower (204 m, 2008) Shinjuku Nomura Building (203 m, 1978) Izumi Garden Tower (201 m, 2002)
180–200 m	Yomiuri Shimbun Building (200 m, 2013) JP Tower (200 m, 2012) Otemachi Tower (200 m, 2014) Otemachi One Tower (200 m, 2020) Shin-Marunouchi Building (198 m, 2007) Sumitomo Fudosan Shinjuku Grand Tower (196 m, 2011) Harumi Island Triton Square Tower X (195 m, 2001) Nihonbashi Mitsui Tower (195 m, 2005) Sannō Park Tower (195 m, 2000) Sky Tower West Tokyo (195 m, 1989) Sompo Japan Building (193 m, 1976) Nittele Tower (193 m, 2003) Sea Tower (192 m, 2008) Mid Tower (192 m, 2008) Kachidoki View Tower (192 m, 2010) Tomihisa Cross (191 m, 2015) Acty Shiodome (190 m, 2004) Brillia Tower Ikebukuro (189 m, 2015) Shinjuku I-Land Tower (189 m, 1994) Owl Tower (189 m, 2011) Atago Green Hills Mori Tower (188 m, 2001) Capital Gate Place (187 m, 2015) Cerulean Tower (184 m, 2001) Sumitomo Real Estate Shinjuku Oak Tower (184 m, 2002) Shibuya Hikarie (182.5 m, 2012) Nihonbashi 2-Chōme Redevelopment Block E (180 m, 2017) Century Park Tower (180 m, 1999) NEC Supertower (180 m, 1990) JA Building (180 m, 2009) Park City Toyosu Building A (180 m, 2008) Keio Plaza Hotel North Tower (180 m, 1971) Tokyo Garden Terrace (180 m, 2016) Shibuya Stream (180 m, 2018)
160–180 m	Akasaka Biz Tower (179.3 m, 2008) Sumitomo Fudosan Mita Twin Buildings (179.3 m, 2006) Marunouchi Building (179 m, 2002) W-Comfort Towers (178.5 m, 2004) Marunouchi Trust Tower Main Building (178 m, 2008) Toshiba Building (165.9 m, 1984) Shiodome Media Tower (172.6 m, 2003) Kasumigaseki Common Gate West Tower (175.8 m, 2007) World Trade Center (Tokyo) (162.6 m, 1970) Tokyo Shiodome Building (173.2 m, 2005) Park Axis Aoyama 1-chome Tower (172.4 m, 2007) Royal Park Shiodome Tower (172 m, 2003) City Towers Toyosu The Twin (171.2 m, 2009) Marunouchi Park Building (170.1 m, 2009) JT Building (169.7 m, 1995) Bay City Harumi Sky Link Tower (169 m m, 2009) Central Park Tower La Tour Shinjuku (167.8 m, 2010) Capital Mark Tower (167.3 m, 2007) Sapia Tower (167.2 m, 2007) Yebisu Garden Place Tower (167 m, 1994) Kita-Shinjuku Area Redevelopment Plan Office Tower (166.5 m, 2011) Naka-Meguro Atlas Tower (165 m, 2009) Marunouchi Kitaguchi Building (147.4 m, 2004) Tokyo Twin Parks (165 m, 2002) Triton View Tower (165 m, 1998) Toyosu Center Building (165 m, 1992) Tokyo Building (164.1 m, 2005) Akasaka Tower Residence (162 m, 2008) Shinjuku Maynds Tower (161.1 m, 1995) Shibaura Island Cape Tower (161 m, 2006) Nippon Seimei Marunouchi Building (160 m, 2004)
150–160 m	Concieria Nishi-Shinjuku Tower's West (159.8 m, 2008) Tornare Nihombashi-Hamacho (159.7 m, 2005) Roppongi Hills Residences (159 m, 2003) Brillia Tower Tokyo (158.9 m, 2006) Prudential Tower (158.4 m, 2002) Park Court Akasaka The Tower (157.3 m, 2009) Atago Green Hills Forest Tower (157 m, 2001) Kasumigaseki Common Gate East Tower (156 m, 2007) Kasumigaseki Building (156 m, 1968) Plaza Tower Kachidoki (155.2 m, 2004) The Toyosu Tower (155 m, 2008) Tokyo Dome Hotel (155 m, 2000) Tokyo Gas Co. Headquarters (155.7 m, 1984) KDDI Otemachi Building (155.4 m, 1990) Takanawa The Residence (153.9 m, 2005) Toranomon Towers Residence (153.5 m, 2006) Ark Mori Building (153.3 m, 1986) Toyosu 3-Chome Area 8-4 Plan (153 m, 2010) Station Garden Tower (153 m, 2008) Tokyo Sankei New Building (152.4 m, 2000) JPower Headquarters (153 m, 1987) Park Tower Gran Sky (152.9 m, 2010) Garden Air Tower (152.6 m, 2003) Shinagawa East One Tower (151.6 m, 2003) Shiba-Koen First Building (151.2 m, 2000) Futako-Tamagawa Rise Tower & Residence Tower East (151.1 m, 2010) Odakyu Southern Tower (150.8 m m, 1998) Air Rise Tower (150.5 m, 2007) JR East Japan Building (150.2 m, 1997) Nihon Keizai Shimbun Tokyo Headquarters Building (150 m, 2009) Kudanshita 3rd Government Building - Chiyoda Ward Office (150 m, 2007) Taiyo Seimei Shinagawa Building (150 m, 2003) Granpark Tower (150 m, 1996)
140–150 m	Shinagawa Grand Central Tower (149.8 m, 2003) Pacific Century Place (149.8 m, 2001) Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Building (148.5 m, 2003) Mitsubishi UFJ Trust & Banking Corporation Head Office (148.4 m, 2003) Canon S Tower (147.7 m, 2003) Shiroyama JT Trust Tower (147.7 m, 1991) Akihabara Dai Building (147.5 m, 2005) Toyosu Center Building Annex (147.4 m, 2006 BEACON Tower Residence (147 m, 2009) Meiji Yasuda Seimei Building (146.8 m, 2004) Fujisoft Akihabara Building (146.7 m, 2007) Bunkyo Civic Center (145.7 m, 1994) Canal First Tower (145.5 m, 2008) NTT DoCoMo Shinagawa Building (145.1 m, 2003) River City 21 East Towers (144.9 m, 2000) Sumitomo Fudosan Aobadai Tower (144.5 m, 2009) Shinagawa Intercity Towers (144.5 m, 1998) Hotel New Otani Tokyo Tower (144.5 m, 1974) Toyosu Ciel Tower (144.4 m, 2006) Apple Tower (143 m, 2007) Shinagawa V-Tower (143 m, 2003) Shinagawa Prince Hotel New Tower (143 m, 1994) Mizuho Bank Headquarters (142.5 m, 1980) Regale Nihombashi-Ningyocho (142.2 m, 2007) Shirokane Tower (141.9 m, 2005) Hikifune Station Front Area 1 Redevelopment (141.6 m, 2009) Akasaka Park Building (141 m, 1993) City Tower Shinagawa (140.9 m, 2008) ThinkPark Tower (140.5 m, 2007) Shinjuku Kokusai Building - Hilton Tokyo (141 m, 1984) NHK Broadcasting Center (140.1 m, 1973)
130–140 m	Station Plaza Tower (139.9 m, 2009) Sumitomo Fudosan Nishi-Shinjuku Building (139.9 m, 2009) World City Towers (139.9 m, 2007) Olinas Tower (139.3 m, 2006) Kokusai Shin-Akasaka East Building (139.3 m, 1980) Toyosu ON Building (139 m, 1992) River City 21 Skylight Tower (139 m, 1990) Shibuya Cross Tower (134.1 m, 1975) World City Towers Aqua Tower (138.7 m, 2006) The Tower Grandia (138.7 m, 2004) Tokyo Times Tower (138.5 m, 2004) Roppongi T-CUBE (138.5 m, 2003) Venasis Kanamachi Tower Residence (138.2 m, 2009) Royal Parks Tower Minami-Senju (138 m, 2008) Kawadacho Comfo Garden (138 m, 2003) Otemachi Nomura Building (138 m, 1997) Proud Tower Chiyoda Fujimi (137 m, 2009) Cosmopolis Shinagawa (137 m, 2005) Bay Crest Tower (136.6 m, 2005) Renaissance Tower Ueno-Ikenohata (136.5 m, 2005) Nippon Express Headquarters (136.5 m, 2003) Crest Prime Tower Shiba (136.4 m, 2007) Century Tower (136 m, 1991) Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters (135.6 m, 1973) Chiyoda First Building West (135 m, 2004) NTT DoCoMo Sumida Building (135 m, 2003) Akasaka Intercity (134.8 m, 2005) Hotel New Otani Garden Court (134.7 m, 1991) Vanguard Tower (134.6 m, 2007) Riverside Sumida Center (134.4 m, 1994) The Garden Towers (134.3 m, 1998) Yoyogi Seminar Tower Obelisk (134 m, 2008) Nakano-Sakaue Sun Bright Twin (134 m, 1996) Moon Island Tower (133.8 m, 2002) Shinjuku NS Building (133.7 m, 1982) Shiodome Building (133.5 m, 2007) Tokyo ANA Tower (133 m, 1986) Kogakuin University Shinjuku Building (132.9 m, 1989) Sumitomo Realty Shiba-Koen Tower (132.6 m, 2001) NTT Data Shinagawa Building (132.3 m, 2003) River City 21 River Point Tower (132 m, 1989) Shin-Gofukubashi Building (132 m, 1979) City Tower Shinjuku Shintoshin (130.6 m, 2005) The Center Tokyo (130 m, 2007) River Harp Tower Building 2 (130 m, 2000) Tomin Tower Shinonome (130 m, 1996) Sunshine City Prince Hotel (130 m, 1980)