Old Brick Building I: Tokyo University of the Arts

The brick main gate of Tokyo University of the Arts bespeaks its history. Enter the gate, and on your left are two historic brick buildings that are even older. Both are still in use. In front is Old Brick Building I. Behind it is Old Brick Building II. Old Brick Building I was constructed first. Indeed, it is the oldest brick structure in Tokyo.

撮影／白井亮

Brick was the latest construction technology in Meiji Japan, and many brick buildings were erected at the time. Among them was Old Brick Building I. It was constructed as the reading hall of the Museum of Education (now the National Museum of Nature and Science), one of the museums founded as part of efforts to modernize the country. It was designed by Tadahiro Hayashi of the Ministry of Public Works, a notable name in modern Japanese architectural history. When it was completed in 1880, the two-story building reportedly had an open, airy design, with a symmetrical staircase in the middle. Old Brick Building II was erected next to it in 1886. The two buildings were joined by a connecting corridor.

Postcard of Tokyo Fine Arts School, circa 1910 or 1908-1923. Old Brick Building I is on the right in the distance. From A Century of Tokyo University of the Arts. Photo courtesy of the University.

The building was taken over by Tokyo Fine Arts School (now Tokyo University of the Arts) after that institution was established on the grounds in 1887. At first it was used as a book depository and a storeroom. In the 1960s, it served as a telephone exchange. It underwent a major facelift in the interim, after it was severely damaged in the catastrophic 1923 Tokyo earthquake. Large sections of the upper walls collapsed, and the roof tiles came off. Later, the bricks were relaid where the walls had caved in. The entire structure was then reinforced with a thick coat of mortar, concealing the beautiful brick exterior from sight.

The building when it was a telephone exchange, circa 1970 or 1965-1978. The walls are coated with mortar. From A Century of Tokyo University of the Arts. Photo courtesy of the University.

Retrofitted iron shutters on the first floor, circa 1965, still in good condition. Photo courtesy of Masaru Maeno.

Old Brick Building I survived with minor renovations until 1978, when plans were formed to demolish it to make way for a new structure. In response, faculty and students launched a campaign to save it, and an inspection of the building began. When some of the mortar was removed from the walls, the red brick beneath was revealed. Only then was it realized that the structure was an architectural rarity: a beautiful red-brick building from the Meiji period. The decision was made to strip off the mortar and preserve the building in its original form.

Mortar being stripped from the walls after the building was saved from demolition, circa 1978. Photo courtesy of Masaru Maeno.

Another major inspection was carried out in 2005, and a seismic upgrade was performed to preserve this iconic building for posterity. Old Brick Building I is still in use today. It houses the alumni offices and studios of the Faculty of Fine Arts and the Faculty of Music. There is a lounge on the second floor, which guests as well as members of the university community can use by reservation.

As you circle the building, you will notice that the brickwork varies in character. The front and back walls did not collapse in the 1923 earthquake and retain their original appearance. The side walls, however, did collapse and had to be relaid. The bricks themselves are therefore different, and they are laid somewhat carelessly to boot. Further, there are vestiges indicating that the original windows were bricked over. The brickwork still retains remnants of mortar here and there where it was not completely removed. There are also traces of scratches on the brick, applied to make the mortar adhere better.

Photo : Ryo Shirai

Photo : Ryo Shirai

Photo : Ryo Shirai

The iron shutters are today one of the building’s hallmarks. But they evidently did not yet exist when it was first constructed in the Meiji period. They were installed at some later date. The original shutters are equipped with a knob that works the upper and lower bolts simultaneously. Where they have been renovated, the upper and lower bolts operate independently of each other. The windows on the second floor give a good idea of the shutters’ original appearance.

While the external walls resumed their original appearance after the 1978 inspection, most of the interior continued to be used unmodified. The interior walls and the ceiling, which were covered with finishing materials, were inspected during the 2005 renovations. A probe behind the ceiling panels on the second floor revealed the existence of a magnificent open-timber roof. This was restored to its original appearance by removing the ceiling panels. The pleasant, atrium-like lounge is the only part of the building that can be used by guests as well, not just members of the university community.

The most attractive feature of Old Brick Building I is surely its arched windows. The windows in their wooden frames embedded in the brick walls are among the few elements that survive virtually intact from when the building was first constructed. The frames are fitted with an intricate mechanism of ropes and pulleys, enabling the upper and lower sashes to be opened to the desired position. Many panes of antique glass remain in the windows. Its distortions and bubbles give it a character all its own.