Here's another example of the many cool buildings that have been going up around Tokyo. This one, recently unveiled, houses one of Japan's oldest international supermarkets, Kinokuniya, in the basement. Upper floors are expected to be occupied by international fashion brand retailers and various offices.
The exterior of the structure glows with little flares of light that appear and dissolve at various intervals. If I'm not mistaken, the colors change from day to day (the photo shows green, but I think the building was pinkish last week). The building itself has been called AO, to incorporate two meanings. First, there's a reference to the location: the building is found in the Ao-yama area of Tokyo. Second, the name is meant to beckon consumers. In, Japanese, ao also means "let's get together."
Click the picture for a larger view. To see what it looks like during the day, go here to see the building as it neared completion.
