Information
| Title | Koiso Memorial Museum of Art |
| Builder | Kobe city |
|---|---|
| Location | 5-7 Kouyou cho Naka Higashinada ku Kobe city, Hyogo, JAPAN |
| Construction | Takenaka& Zenidaka & Mitsui JV |
| Architectural elements | Artificial ground, glazed tiles, flat tile roofing |
| Awards | Kansai Lighting Technology Popularization Association Award (1993) 18th Hiroba Award (1994) |
| Publications | hiroba 1998.3 Kenchiku Journal 1990.10 Architectural Institute of Japan Selected works 1993 Data File of Architectural Design & Detail 49 Museum 2 Museum Architecture Guide - Review of Architectural Design 1997.2 ARCHIWORLD 89 |
Concept
Koiso Memorial of art museum is projected as one of the largest museum for an individual artist in Japan. Not only works of the painter Ryohei Koiso are permanently exhibited but also artistic activities of citizens are expressed as a basic spirit. The site is in a city park called "City Hill" in Rokko Island, Kobe. The museum and its parking lots for 432 cars are set underground in order to keep the original form of the park. Though most part of the museum is also placed underground, dry-areas around the building are set to install good condition from the outside fresh air and sunlight. Considering the safety, entrance is placed on a level that is high enough from the front road, and the floor level of underground parking is set higher than water level at spring tide. By having a chance to see a dismantled and reconstructed atelier which is in the courtyard in front of the entrance, visitors could imagine the artist's past time. Then a bright corridor would lead them to the exhibition rooms where works of the great artist could be seen in calm atmosphere.
