Nagasaki Prefecture Art Museum

Joint project with Nihon Sekkei Inc.
2-1 Dejima-machi, Nagasaki-shi, Nagasaki, Japan
2005.03
Art Museum
9,900m2

Nagasaki was the only port permitted to remain open when Japan was closed to the rest of the world. Since it was the only point of contact between Japan and Western Europe, this museum boasts a wonderful collection of artworks from Span and Portugal.

The site condition was quite unusual: a canal running through the center of the premises. To make the canal one with the art museum, I created an intermediate space along the canal, and made it a promenade for city residents and a place to enjoy works of the art. This space was protected from the strong sun by stone louvers that created a breezy, pleasant shade.

I developed a new supporting detail for stone louvers using solid steel columns. Nagasaki, located in southern Japan, is known for its Colonial-style veranda architecture using wooden latticework. The detail I used here is a contemporary version of this traditional architecture; it also is a criticism for contemporary Japanese architecture that ignores indigenous climate and landscape of the location.

The box-shaped glass bridge crosses over the canal. All the visitors to this art museum walk over this bridge, experience the water, and then continue into the gallery. The entire roof area also acts as a gallery space. Visitors can enjoy a beautiful view of Nagasaki Port from the roof.