{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O81643"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O81643/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BB3037/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BB3037/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BB3037","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BB3012","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AG8418","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O81643","accessionNumber":"E.307-1994","objectType":"Architectural model","titles":[{"title":"The Wall, Tokyo","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Nigel Coates is a British architect trained in the University of Nottingham and Architectural Association in London. In 1985, Coates began receiving commissions from Japan and founded Branson Coates Architecture with Doug Branson. Branson Coates was commissioned to design The Wall (1990), a restaurant, bar, and retail complex in the Nishi-Azabu section of Tokyo. The brief was to design a building 'that looked as though it had been there forever, yet signified the 21st century'. Their response was to imagine the arrival of ancient Romans to Tokyo, and that the wall was a remaining fragment of that period. The solution was to 'give the impression of being endlessly adapted and reused, hence windows appeared to have been blocked and moved, and a spiral staircase stitched through the facade'. \n\nThe working spaces are on floors cantilevered from the rear of the wall and the  basement and ground floors contain a club and 24-hour cafe. The top floor houses a restaurant. The brickwork was tied in every two courses into the framework as a safeguard against earthquakes. ","physicalDescription":"A sketch model for The Wall, Tokyo, made from various materials mounted on a board. The facade is modelled in brick-coloured plasticine with details made from scrap pieces of metal, card, wood and paper.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Coates, Nigel","id":"A9824"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Branson Coates","id":"C2393"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"card","id":"x30344"},{"text":"wire","id":"AAT11063"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"},{"text":"tracing paper","id":"AAT14161"},{"text":"tissue paper","id":"AAT14145"},{"text":"electrical components","id":"x36640"},{"text":"Plasticine","id":"x30671"}],"techniques":[{"text":"model-making","id":"AAT53619"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Plasticine, card, tissue paper, tracing paper, electrical components, wire, wood","categories":[{"text":"Architecture","id":"THES48993"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Architectural models","id":"THES274433"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006BB3037","2006BB3012","2006AG8418"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLD","id":"THES49658"},"free":"","case":"SB7","shelf":"SH2","box":""},{"current":{"text":"LVLD","id":"THES49658"},"free":"","case":"SB7","shelf":"SH2","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"architectural models","id":"x44244"}],[{"text":"designs","id":"AAT102051"}],[{"text":"architectural models","id":"x44244"}],[{"text":"designs","id":"AAT102051"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1988","earliest":"1988-01-01","latest":"1988-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"E.298-1994","id":"O81640"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"E.300-1994","id":"O219035"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"E.301-1994","id":"O219036"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"E.302-1994","id":"O219037"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"E.303-1994","id":"O219038"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"E.304-1994","id":"O219039"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"E.305-1994","id":"O219040"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"E.306-1994","id":"O219041"},"association":""}],"creditLine":"Gift of Nigel Coates","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"23.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"42.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"26","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions taken from <u>Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints, Drawings and Paintings Accession Register for 1994</u>","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Sketch architectural model for 'The Wall' shopping complex, Tokyo, by Nigel Coates for Branson Coates Architecture, London, 1988","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Rick Poyner and Nigel Coates, 'The City in Motion', 1989"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints, Drawings and Paintings Accession Register for 1994</u>"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Design","id":"THES48872"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Tokyo (city)","id":"x32430"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"restaurants","id":"AAT5182"},{"text":"cafes","id":"AAT5176"},{"text":"shops","id":"AAT5283"},{"text":"architecture","id":"AAT54156"},{"text":"models (representations)","id":"AAT47753"},{"text":"earthquakes","id":"AAT54728"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Nigel Coates\r\n\r\nSketch model for 'The Wall', a cafe, restaurant and office complex in Tokyo, completed in 1991. Plasticine and other materials. \r\n\r\nModelling is an important way in which Nigel Coates things out his designs. This model, partly made from scrap found about the studio, came early in the design process. \r\n\r\nGiven by Nigel Coates, together with other design material for 'The Wall' and the adjoining Art Silo building.","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}},{"text":"<B>Sketch model for The Wall café, \r\nrestaurant and office complex,\r\nNishi Azabu, Tokyo</b>\r\n\r\nModelling is an important part of Coates'\r\nworking method. This early stage model,\r\npartly made from 'found' scrap pieces from\r\naround his studio, shows the architect's\r\ninterest in surface detail. The past is fused\r\nwith the contemporary with an\r\ninterpretation of a monumental Roman wall\r\nin his energetic style.\r\n\r\nNigel Coates (b.1949) for Branson Coates\r\nBritain; 1988 (building completed 1991)\r\nPlasticine, card, wire, wood, tracing and tissue paper\r\n\r\nE.307-1994","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["E.307-1994","E.307:1-1994"],"accessionNumberNum":"307","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1994,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019MH3063"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-09-05","recordCreationDate":"2003-06-19","availableToBook":false}}