Type Mixed-use Opening March 1978 Height 226 m, 240 m to tip Opened March 1978 Contractor Obayashi Corporation | Completed 1978 Roof 239.7 meters (786 ft) Floors 60 Construction started July 1973 | |
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Floor count 60 above ground5 below ground Similar Sunshine City - Tokyo, Namco Namja Town, Sunshine city aquarium, Ancient Orient Museum, Ikebukuro Station | ||
Sunshine 60 observatory tilt shift
Sunshine 60 (サンシャイン60, Sanshain rokujū) is a 60-story, mixed-use skyscraper located in Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo, adjoining the Sunshine City complex. At the time of its completion in 1978, the 239.7 m (786 ft) building was the tallest in Asia, a title it held until 1985 when it was surpassed by the 63 Building in Seoul. Sunshine 60 was also the tallest building in Tokyo and Japan until the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building was completed in 1991.
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Construction
Sunshine 60's foundation is made of reinforced concrete. The lower segment of the building is also reinforced concrete with a steel skeleton. The upper tower is a steel skeleton with "slitted shear walls". These unique walls were inserted between columns in the core, allowing the walls to conform to deformations in the steel frame caused by earthquakes and wind shear helping to assure structural integrity. A rigid framing structural system creates the frame. Mechanical equipment is located directly above the core of the structure on its rooftop.
Sunshine 60 was erected over the site of the destroyed Sugamo Prison, famously used to hold senior Japanese war criminals during the occupation. On December 23, 1948, seven high-ranking, convicted war criminals (including former Prime Minister Hideki Tojo) were hanged at the prison. It was also the site of the hanging of Soviet spy Richard Sorge during the war. In popular modern lore, the area is rumored to be haunted.
Facilities
As a mixed-use high-rise, Sunshine 60's space is used for a variety of things. Floors 1 through 9 are used as commercial space and house a post office, banks, showrooms, cafeterias, a health care center and a day care center. Office space occupies floors 10 through 57. Restaurants are located on the 58th and 59th floors.
From the 60th floor, visitors can see as far as 100 km on a clear day from Sunshine 60's observation deck (admission fee up to ¥620). To get visitors to the observation deck quickly, one of the tower's 40 elevators takes passengers directly from the lobby at a speed of 600 meters per minute (36 km/h, 22 mph). This elevator is one of the fastest in the world.
Office tenants
The office floors house the headquarters of Credit Saison, FamilyMart, NTT Plala and Sammy Corporation, among other office tenants.