Creator of skyscrapers
Part of a series about Harvard’s deep ties to Asia. TOKYO — Seen from the 50th floor of the Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower, the city of Tokyo fans out below, its smaller buildings looking like stacked shoeboxes. The view from the sidewalk outside isn’t bad either, as the skyscraper’s curved, latticed lines contrast starkly with the boxy high-rises nearby. The tower, one of the city’s tallest, is unconventional in more than just design. It is a school skyscraper that contains 10,000 students in three institutions of higher education. The striking building was designed by Paul Tange and his Tokyo-based firm, Tange Associates. Tange, who graduated from Harvard College in 1981 and the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) in 1985, has created buildings around the world. But most of his work is in Asia, where his firm has contributed to the skylines of Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Taipei. Family vacations on building...