HIROSHI SENJU MUSEUM BY RYUE NISHIZAWA


Ryue Nishizawa

Japanese architect Ryue Nishizawa has completed the ‘Hiroshi Senju Museum Karuizawa’, a single-storey cultural facility on a lush site in Karuizawa, Japan.

Ryue Nishizawa

A collaborative effort with internationally recognised japanese artist Hiroshi Senju, the museum seeks to harmoniously link the exhibited art with the surrounding landscape within a naturally illuminated space.

Ryue Nishizawa

Karuizawa is known for its harmony of nature and culture. Nishizawa choreographed a space where visitors could enjoy the feeling of becoming at one with the works of Hiroshi Senju and a forest in Karuizawa.

Ryue Nishizawa

“Senju asked me to create an open, luminous space where people would observe his works, relax and spend time in contemplation. The museum, which gently hugs the natural slope of the site, has lighting controlled by deep eaves, silver screens, and UV cut glass while allowing in the greenery.

Ryue Nishizawa

The open space was designed to unite Kazurizawaʼs nature and Senju’s art. I wanted to create a union of park and space that felt as inviting as a private living room.” Ryue Nishizawa, architect.

Ryue Nishizawa

For the 3000 tsubo site (nearly 2.5 acres), the two creators Senju and Nishizawa collaborated on a dream project.

Ryue Nishizawa

Housing a wide collection of the artist’s work from 1978 to the present day, the museum utilises the natural elements of the site as a backdrop to the pieces displayed.

Ryue Nishizawa

The floor gently follows the pre-existing contours of the land, subtly swelling and dipping throughout the gallery. A series of organically-shaped light wells puncture through the roof, injecting pockets of greenery within the interior.

Ryue Nishizawa

Deeps eaves, silver screens, and UV-cut glass panels control the amount of daylight intake while allowing in the qualities of the forest.

Ryue Nishizawa

Sitting between the parking lot and the museum is the ‘color leaf garden’ which acts as a natural buffer zone for visitors.

Ryue Nishizawa

Involving the planting of 150 plant varieties and numbering more than 60,000 roots, the color leaf project’s pink, yellow, purple, silver and red shrubs and grasses fan out around the site as if in benediction of the museum.

Ryue Nishizawa

In Karuizawa, with its pure air, gentle breezes and soft light, visitors can now experience a place of extraordinary imagination and beauty. 

Ryue Nishizawa
Ryue Nishizawa 

Location: Nagano, Japan 
Architect: RyueNishizawa 
Total Floor Area: 1818.42 sqm 
Exhibition Space: 1490.51 sqm 
Museum Office: 128.16 sqm 
Gallery: 199.75 sqm 
Year: 2011

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