SAKO Architects designed a multicolored glass facade for an office building in Tokyo. The former headquarters was a pencil-shaped structure that merely met the legal evacuation requirements. Now that it is a global company, a “vertical rainbow” has appeared on the building’s facade to represent its identity as a paint company that offers an infinite variety of hues. SAKO Architects applied a gradient coating to tempered laminated glass using an in-house paint developed specifically for outdoor use.
To create the illusion that the facade is made entirely of colorful glass, the glass is supported by horizontal frames on the top and bottom two sides that are wider than the width of the terrace. The colored glass transforms direct sunlight into colored light, casting beautiful shadows on the terrace floor and the exterior walls of the adjacent buildings. When it is cloudy, and the sky is more easily reflected, the ever-changing clouds and colors combine to create a beautiful facade, similar to digital art.
The view of the city from the office’s terrace is analogous to a landscape photograph with added color layers. The disparate cityscape resembles an unreal work of art. The illuminated glass emits soft colors at night, creating a “night rainbow” on the street lined with buildings.
Facade 1 has 12mm+12mm tempered laminated glass painted only on the balcony side, while Facade 2 has lattice-like fittings with class B fire protection equipment.
Project Info
Project name: VERTICAL RAINBOW
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Floor area: 690 sqm
Photo credits: Koji Fujii
Design firm: SAKO Architects
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