Dentsu Building

Jean Nouvel · Higashi-Shinbashi · 2002

Dentsu Building
Hidden Gem

A black-glass megaslab that refuses to pose—Tokyo corporate gravity, sharpened by Nouvel into a silhouette.

Skyscraper in Tokyo, Japan.

Featured in Jean Nouvel's definitive monograph, Jean Nouvel by Jean Nouvel: Complete Works 1970–2008.

Major PracticeHidden Gem
Architect
Jean Nouvel
Year
2002
Coordinates
35.6644°, 139.7624°
View on Map

Visitor Guide

Visitor Tip

Don’t fight the scale from the base. Walk to Shiodome’s pedestrian decks and look back: elevated viewpoints make the building’s massing legible.

Best Photo Spot

From the Shiodome pedestrian deck network near Caretta Shiodome, late afternoon for reflective contrast; for night shots, after full dark when signage/neighbor towers give depth cues.

Access & Hours

The office tower itself is not a public attraction, but the Shiodome complex includes publicly accessible retail/restaurant areas (Caretta Shiodome) that can get you inside the broader complex experience without security hassles. Free alternative: use the pedestrian decks for exterior photography and skyline composition.

Insider Note

Nouvel’s play here is not curve-making—it’s urban contrast: a near-monolithic dark surface that makes Tokyo’s already-chaotic skyline feel suddenly edited.

Time Needed

25–45 minutes

Design & Structure

Tessellation
Computational Process

A skyscraper designed as an urban graphic: massing and facade are calibrated for long-distance legibility in a visually noisy district. Digital work is primarily facade rationalization, glare/reflectance studies, and high-tolerance coordination for a large curtain wall system in a seismic context.

Materiality

Dark curtain wall glazing and metal panels—materials chosen to make the building read as a single deep plane rather than a stack of floors.

Structural Innovation

Tokyo’s seismic demands push towers toward robust lateral systems; the remarkable part is how the envelope keeps its composure while the structure is designed to manage movement.

More by Jean Nouvel

View all →

Nearby in Higashi-Shinbashi

Frequently Asked Questions

Who designed Dentsu Building?+

Dentsu Building was designed by Jean Nouvel and completed in 2002. It is located in Higashi-Shinbashi, Japan.

Where is Dentsu Building located?+

Dentsu Building is located in Higashi-Shinbashi, Japan. Its coordinates are 35.6644°, 139.7624°.

When was Dentsu Building built?+

Dentsu Building was completed in 2002. It was designed by Jean Nouvel.

Can I visit Dentsu Building?+

Dentsu Building is a real building in Higashi-Shinbashi that can be viewed from the outside. Check local information for interior access and visiting hours. Use the Parametric Atlas walking tour feature to plan a route that includes this building.