The Tokyo International Forum, Japan's largest congress
center, is situated on the boundary between Marunouchi, Tokyo's central
business area and the Ginza shopping and entertainment district.
Rafael Viñoly Architects won the 1989 International
Design Competition, the first international architectural competition in Japan,
held by the Union Internationale des Architectes (UIA).
The tracks of Japan Railways, the city's principal system
of transportation, bounds the eastern elevation with two of the most heavily
used train stations, Tokyo and Yarakucho stations, located to the north and
south.
The International Forum includes two theaters, one among
the largest in the world, over 6,000 square meters of exhibition space, several
conference rooms, restaurants, shops and other amenities.
The main elements of the Forum are a 60 meter high
hull-shaped glass and steel atrium on the west end of the site and a cluster of
block like buildings, housing the theaters, restaurants and shops, along the
east end of the site.