Imabari City Public Hall

Built in 1958, Imabari City Public Hall is one of three buildings Tange Kenzo designed for Imabari, constructed at the same time as the adjacent City Hall with a shared plaza between them. The building uses plain concrete throughout, influenced by Le Corbusier, but replaces the pilotis found in Tange's other work with triangular wall supports that reference origami folds. Inside, the triangular motif continues across the walls of the 1,000-seat auditorium. The sloping floor of the hall becomes the slanted concrete ceiling of the lobby below, and glossy wood elements are punctuated by occasional bursts of scarlet on curtains and walls. Renovated in 2013, it remains a clear example of Tange's early style.