When I went the first time to Asakusa and saw the Asahi Beer headquarters, my imagination told me that the strange sculpture on top of the building could be a “drop of beer”, because it’s golden and it looks like a drop? But a friend told me that the french artist who created the sculpture designed it to be a “flame”. My guess was far from right.
After some time I realized that Japanese have a nickname for this building. They call it “the shit building” (うんこビル) because it looks like the shape how Japanese/mangakas usually draw shits.
What do you see, a shit? a beer drop? a flame? a tarako? a spermatozoid?
11 replies on “The shit building”
Stark is the name of the designer.
he is controversal in France too. 😉
For example he designed a remote that was shaped like a Scepter for Thomsom.
But then, Thomson took away the remote because TV sales plummetted.
It is said because the remote was shaped like a sex-toy….
see by yourself:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Phillipe-starck-001.jpg
^ People will use anything now adays.
I always called it the “Sperm Building”.
I see a wavy daikon or a golden hitodama
I have to agree with Brad… My first thought is ‘golden sperm’ on seeing it… With the effect of beer on procreation it’s probably even topical for a brewery… ^_^
LOL! it just looks disgusting!
Yeah, worst design ever. I passed that building many times and always thought it was the logo for a company promoting fertility or something.
Philippe Starck designed this building, the interior is incredible. However, i must say it does look like someone pinched a chimp on top of it.
I’ve never been inside, I should go inside next time. Thx henry.
IT IS THE SHIT BUILDING BECAUSE CHINESE PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN LOADS OF BIG SHITS IN THAT BUILDING. OR IS IT JUST CHINESE PEOPLE TAKING HUGE LOADS OF SHIT IN JAPAN?
My grandmother and my cousins live near that area, and my brother always called it うんこビル but I heard from my dad that it was supposed to be a torch… to commemorate the Olympics or something.