Imperial Hotel Ltd. on Wednesday unveiled the new exterior design for its aging main building in central Tokyo, which is scheduled to be rebuilt by fiscal 2036.

The new design by Paris-based Japanese architect Tsuyoshi Tane, based on a fusion between a Western palace and a tower, invokes the image of a staircase, with floor space narrowing with height.

"The Imperial Hotel will have a presence that can be recognized from any vantage point," the hotel's president Hideya Sadayasu said at a press conference in Tokyo, as he highlighted the difference between his hotel and other luxury accommodations in the capital.

Tane, who also attended the press conference, said that his design will inherit the "jewel of the orient" concept, which was used to describe the second remodeling of the main building designed by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and expressed his intention to use stone for the exterior.

The hotel was established in 1890 as a state guest house and has welcomed famous guests, including Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe and Helen Keller.

The main building has since been redone three times. The current structure was built in 1970.

The construction of the main building is scheduled to begin in fiscal 2031, following the completion of the adjacent tower's reconstruction in fiscal 2030, according to the hotel operator.

The project is expected to cost up to 250 billion yen ($2.2 billion).

==Kyodo

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