Impressive Storm Sewer System / Saitama, Japan

Jul 2008

By David Basulto — Filed under: Infrastructure , Concrete, Japan

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To avoid floodings on typhoon season, the city of Saitama in Japan features an impressive storm sewer system. Its construction started in 1992, and its composed by giant concrete silos (65m tall, 32m wide) connected by 6.4km of underground tunnels 50m below the surface. It also has a giant tank: 25.4m tall, 177m long and 78 wide, with 59 concrete columns.

This impressive structure is opened for tourists. More pictures and videos below. Be sure to check out the truck being lifted through the sewer!.

Official website here. Seen at Plataforma Urbana.

About David Basulto: Graduate Architect. Co Founder and Executive Editor of ArchDaily.com. Architecture geek.

Cite:
Basulto , David . "Impressive Storm Sewer System / Saitama, Japan" 07 Jul 2008. ArchDaily. Accessed 04 Feb 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/3591>

Comments (23)
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Links to this entry (29)

R.O. says:

reminds me of the dwarf-city “khazad-dûm”

# July 7, 2008 at 03:15

i2h says:

my first thoughts too. all the workers should be running around in chain mail and grow furry beards…

# October 6, 2011 at 15:25

Alban says:

The Underground City was called Moria

# November 2, 2011 at 17:27

JJ says:

same thought on khazad-dûm! @Alban Dwarf name…Elven name is Moria and also called Darrowdelf.

# November 8, 2011 at 13:03

IzOcKa says:

igualitos a los de santiago para evitar las inundaciones de las calles

# July 7, 2008 at 08:57

Fubiz says:

Simply beautiful!

# July 7, 2008 at 09:08

Dave says:

Great stuff. Had this on RedRuin a few years back:
http://www.redruin.com/2005/12/07/tokyo-underground/

Would be nice to take a tour sometime.

# July 7, 2008 at 23:41

-1

Anonymous says:

photoshopped

# July 9, 2008 at 05:47

andrew says:

Anyone else reminded of the silent hill movie?

# July 9, 2008 at 10:35

SolPatots says:

A pity this place can’t be used as an event hall or something… can oyu imagine? That’d be great

# July 11, 2008 at 03:27

eric says:

reminds me of lord of the rings to me

# July 11, 2008 at 05:22

tom says:

reminds me of evangelion

# July 17, 2008 at 04:20

Självständigt Skåne says:

Wow! That’s cool!

My hometown of Kristianstad, Skåne (Europe) could use something similiar, as it is situated two-three metres below sea level. Though, there is no foundation below the city to build in. Just pure mud. It’s a wonder they managed to build the city once upon a time. At that time they built the city pretty much on two giant rafts, floating in the middle of a swamp, centuries ago. Damn stupid location.

# January 14, 2009 at 13:59

uniquelasvegastravel says:

Normally I don’t leave a comment but your post was excellent.

# February 28, 2009 at 19:21

Slash3334 says:

Finally! A place for the apocalypse’s sewer level! XD

# September 5, 2009 at 10:46

Carlos R says:

Great project.

# October 28, 2009 at 16:46

Jim says:

The Great Realm and Dwarven city of Dwarrowdelf

# September 13, 2011 at 10:28

anuj says:

english translation of section..pls?

# September 30, 2011 at 09:07

Nemo says:

Igualito a las cisternas de Estambul!

# November 8, 2011 at 16:12

maevian says:

reminds me of half life 2

# December 5, 2011 at 15:55

Jason Clark says:

It actually reminds me of the first resident evil movie the ‘train station’ to the ‘Hive’ which was a real underground train station in europe somewhere i believe

# December 8, 2011 at 14:41

James says: