If one looks at the TIF in its entirety, it is interesting to see the progression the structures make from solid heaviness to ethereal lightness moving from east to west. The fortress-like qualities of the granite eastern facade give way to the less severe granite, glass and steel of the walls facing the plaza. At the west end of the plaza lies the atrium, so open that light can easily pass through it. The progression would seem to be symbolic of the opening of Japanese culture to the outside world and the TIF’s goal of increasing the internationalization of Tokyo.

All in all, one cannot help but be a little disappointed by the Tokyo International Forum. The lavish use of granite, steel and glass as well as the futuristic design are impressive to be sure. Somewhere along the way, however, the architect seems to have lost sight of the goal, which was to create a forum, or center for public interaction. In an attempt to include the largest possible exhibition areas and theaters in the most dazzling edifices, the TIF became too massive a complex for its small plot of land, thus losing its human dimension.

The TIF does not stretch out a welcoming hand to the city around it. If it does manage to attract many visitors, other than those who come for the concerts and exhibitions, it will be for the novelty of its sleek glass atrium and futuristic trappings. Once the novelty wears off, however, it will probably be regarded mostly as an expensive monument to the bloated age during which it was conceived.

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