Why Was A Tunnel Constructed Through A Skyscraper Tower?

 

Whilst there will always be attempts to standardise tunnel construction through the use of similar methodology, planning, conveyor belts to move vast amounts of material, supervision and maintenance of people and machinery, each site inherently brings with it unique challenges.

 

This is a big reason why most tunnel boring machines are not typically reused without significant revision; they need to be altered, refurbished and adapted for the unique logistical requirements of the new tunnel, and this can sometimes be more expensive than building a new one.

 

Every tunnel brings with it a unique set of challenges caused by elevation levels, the material that makes up the earth being moved, and, if the tunnel is moving underwater, possibly the most unique challenges involve a tunnel built aboveground and through a building.

 

Trying to explain why the Gate Tower Building in Fukushima-ku, Osaka, Japan, has a tunnel running through it is a classic example of how innovative design had to be used to solve a problem that should not have existed in the first place.

 

A general rule of space and time is that two objects cannot inhabit the same physical space at the same time, and planning regulations are typically designed to stop two construction projects from occupying the same land.

 

However, a complex intermingling of historic land rights and planning laws in 1980s Japan managed to lead to a planning compromise that has seldom been seen before or since.

 

Why Was The Gate Tower Building Constructed? 

The Gate Tower Building (officially now the TKP Garden City Osaka) was originally occupied by a building used by a local business that specialised in charcoal and firewood since 1860. 

 

However, by the 1980s, the rapid push in Japan towards alternative fuel sources meant that it was surplus to requirements.

An approved redevelopment of this particular part of Fukushima-ku prefecture in 1983 led the company to decide to convert the building into office space, a function it still holds today.

 

However, there was a problem with this, as it would have conflicted with a highway project already in development.

 

Why Was The Ikeda Route Ring Road Constructed?

The highway project was part of the Ikeda Route, Route 11 of the Hanshin Expressway, which would have connected the Osaka shopping district of Umeda with the city of Ikeda.

 

The first part of the loop was constructed in 1965, but it would take over 30 years for it to be completed, and by the 1980s, it was passing through Fukushima-ku.

 

Where Did the Conflict Come From?

As part of a long-running infrastructure project, the assumption from the highway corporation is that they would buy the land they would need as they go and continue unabated.

 

The problem was that the property owners refused to sell, infuriated that their plans to redevelop land they owned as part of a redevelopment project were rejected.

 

The situation is similar to the Maison De Verre in Paris, where an ambitious doctor wanted to build a truly new building, but one elderly tenant refused to sell under any circumstances, leading to the building being constructed underneath them.

 

Why Does A Tunnel Pass Through A Building?

The result was a fierce negotiation which took over five years to finally resolve, requiring tenacity, a relentless willingness to compromise and ultimately a change in planning laws in Japan.

 

The highway company and presumably the planning authority assumed that the land would be bought easily, and thus there was no need to redesign the road to feature an underground tunnel, which is the standard approach to situations like this.

 

Most of the time, planning rules are adversarial; one proposal wins or the other according to the needs of the planning authorities involved. In 1989, these rules were very slightly changed to allow a highway and a building to be constructed in the same space.

 

These rules were actually intended for a ring road in Minato, Tokyo, but ultimately, its first and only major use was for the Gate Tower Building.

 

Unlike most tunnels, the outer walls do not touch the building and are independently structured; this is a compromise to allow for the joint proposal.

 

Similarly, the building does not have a usable fifth, sixth or seventh floor; only staircases and lift mechanisms are stored on those floors to allow for minimal disruption whilst the tunnel is in operation.

 

Whilst there are other buildings with roads running through them, most notably the now-demolished Yau Ma Tei Car Park Building in Shanghai, they are extremely rare compared to building roads around buildings, under them or demolishing them.