Online Feature: Hotel Okura
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—01. A striking exterior.
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Ahead of an editorial to be featured in the forthcoming issue of Inventory, longtime friend and contributor Marcelo Gomes presents an architectural exploration of the famed Hotel Okura. Originally opened in 1962 and built under the design direction of Yoshiro Taniguchi, Hideo Kosaka, Shiko Munakata and Kenkichi Tomimoto, the luxury modernist hotel has hosted every US president since Richard Nixon. It was announced recently that the main building would be demolished in September 2015, to make way for a new glass tower design. The outcry following this decision has been substantial, and a petition to save the original building can be signed by following the link below.