The Main Building of the Museum is the oldest among Japanʼs existing public art museums.Completed in 1933, in the so-called Crown Imperial Style of architecture, it has been an important presence in Kyoto for more than 80 years.
Though architecture itself does not move or change,the way people view and experience architecture does change with time. The multiple exposures presented by architecture create a rich manifold image. To respect that while renovating a structure to be suitable for the current age is highly important for the future. I am acutely aware of the significance and responsibility involved in the current large-scale renewal of the Museum.
In going forward with the plan for the renewal of the Museum, we have sought continuity with the existing image while adding a new layer to that. My idea was to allow a new visage to emerge while preserving the underlying architecture.
Among my priorities was to retain the open plaza area on the west side facing Jingu-michi, and to strengthen the original axis that passes through the East Entrance to the Main Entrance. I first made a cut between the west side plaza and the main building and depressed the central foreground to make it a slope gently descending toward the center. In this way, the view of the main building seen from Jingumichi remained while the entrance was moved from the first floor to the floor below. The cut was fitted with glass to make a new ʻglass ribbonʼ space for the museum shop and café. I created a grand staircase straight ahead of the under-ground entrance, going through the space that had previously been used for a ʻfootwear roomʼ and I inserted a strong axis extending straight from the east entrance Central Hall (previously a large display room) to the Japanese garden overlooking Higashiyama. I tried to draw out the Museumʼs embedded axis.
In addition, we eliminated the facility equipment that occupied the north and south courtyards and returned the south courtyard to its original use as a courtyard. We covered the north courtyard with a glass roof, making it an indoor space. In this way, I tried to excavate certain of this Museumʼs possibilities that had been hidden for a while.
In order to create a new exhibition room for contemporary art and a new facilities equipment room for the entire building, we had an extension (storage room) designed by Kawasaki Kiyoshi* rebuilt for the new building. I tried to keep a balance between eliminated and retained elements in the new building, such as the characteristic brick tiles of the Main Building and the large volume of the new building.
By creating contrasts in this way between old and new, we have tried to achieve something more subtle and totally different from straightforward repair.
Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art has received the following awards for its architectural achievement in the renewal project, adding contemporary functions while preserving the historic Main Building (the oldest existing public art museum architecture), originally completed in 1933:
September, 2020 8th Kyoto Architecture Award Grand Prize
October, 2020 Good Design Award 2020
December 2020 The 30th AACA (Japan Association of Artists Craftsmen & Architects) Award Grand Prize
January 2021 The 10th Award for Excellence in Seismic Retrofit (organized by Japan Building Disaster Prevention Association)
March 2021 JIA Grand Prix 2020 (organized by The Japan Institute of Architects)
April 2021 Good lighting Award 2020 (organized by The Illuminating Engineering Institute of Japan)
April 2021 AIJ Prize 2021, Architectural Design Division (organized by The Architectural Institute of Japan)
November 2021 The 1st Architecture Award, Education / Culture / Welfare Division (Japan Federation of Architects & Building Engineers Associations)
November 2023 The 64th BCS PRIZE
