Gate Tower Building, Osaka
- Name: Gate Tower Building
- Location: Fukushima-ku, Osaka, Japan
- Height: 16 floors (plus two basement levels)
- Completion: 1992
- Architects: Azusa Sekkei and Yamamoto-Nishihara Kenchiku Sekkei Jimush
The Gate Tower Building is a 16-storey office building in Osaka, Japan. It is well-known for including the highway off-ramp at the Umeda Exit of the Hanshin Expressway system.
The 71.9 m-tall building, is made from reinforced concrete and steel and is fitted with a helipad on the roof. It was completed in 1992.
The unusual design was the result of a compromise between the landowner and the Japanese government. The landowners had originally purchased the site in the mid-19th century and wanted to redevelop it. However, in 1983 the building permits were refused because the government had already planned the Expressway. The property rights’ holders refused to relinquish the property, and after five years of negotiation with the Hanshin Expressway Corporation, a compromise was struck – the road would pass through the building.
The Expressway passes between floors 5-7 of the building and is deemed to be the tenant of those floors. The road does not make physical contact with the building but instead passes through as a bridge which is held up by supports next to the building. It is surrounded by a casing structure that protects the building from vibration.
The only significant alterations the building designers had to make were to instal sound insulating walls and for the elevators to pass from floor 4 to floor 8 without stopping.
Since the completion of the building in 1992, Japan’s highway laws, city planning laws, city redevelopment laws and building codes were partly revised to allow the unified development of highways and buildings in the same space, to prevent such negotiations from occurring again.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
We're expanding our collaborative mission by launching DB Intelligence, an exclusive market research advisory panel. Built environment professionals can now get paid to share their expertise on industry trends, products and services.
Panel members receive direct financial incentives for participating in research projects like short surveys, 1-2-1 interviews and focus groups. Register today to shape the future of the construction sector.
Planning condition discharge in England and Wales
A brief exoplanation from a building compliance expert, with further links.
Overheating guidance and tools for building designers
Guidance for dealing with element of building fabric control that have increasing importance.
Shading for housing, a design guide
From the Good Homes Alliance and British Blind and Shutter Association.
UK Standard Skills Classification (SSC)
A shared framework for describing skills needs.
Social media ban consultation comes to close
CIOB urges UK Government to consider social media’s role in careers guidance in ban debate.
The latest of eight Skills England apprenticeship units
The addition of battery manufacturing welcomed by ECA with a warning about the risks of fast-tracked apprenticeship units.
Building Control Independent Panel final report
A precis of a key report led by Dame Hackitt with full recommendations and link to the government response.
Building Safety recap April, 2026
A short and longer run-through of the month, with links to further information and sources.
CIAT May 2026 briefing.
From medieval scribes to modern word art.
ECA welcomes crackdown on late payment and push for clean energy, whilst CIOB seek fixed cladding removal timeframes.
Cyber Security in the Built Environment
Protecting projects, data, and digital assets: A CIOB Academy TIS.
Managing competence in the built environment
ITFG publishes new industry guide on how to meet the ICC principles.
The UK's campaign to reduce noise pollution: Mythbusting, articles and topic guides.