Hiroshi Senju Museum
Ryue Nishizawa, Japan
The Hiroshi Senju Museum in Karuizawa is dedicated to the work of Japanese painter Hiroshi Senju, known for his large‑scale waterfall paintings. The building offers a unique interior‑exterior relationship, which follows the natural landscape. Ryue Nishizawa shares his thoughts about the project:
“During our first conversation with Mr. Hiroshi Senju, he asked us if it was possible for a museum to be bright and open – one that has never been done before. In other words, a bright space where one can experience the realm of Mr. Senju’s work and at the same time a place where people can gather and unwind, or spend some time alone.
“The building is composed of a single, landscape-like space that follows the existing topography of the site. With natural light controlled through the extended eaves, silver reflecting screens, and UV-reducing glass, the building harmonizes Mr. Senju’s art with the natural surroundings of Karuizawa by softly bringing in the surrounding scenery, light, and landscape. Visitors are able to meander through the space as if walking through a forest, interacting with Mr. Senju’s work and experiencing the richness of nature while spending time on the furniture that rests throughout the space. We intended to make an open and airy space that is like a park and a private living room simultaneously.”
“The building is composed of a single, landscape-like space that follows the existing topography of the site. With natural light controlled through the extended eaves, silver reflecting screens, and UV-reducing glass, the building harmonizes Mr. Senju’s art with the natural surroundings of Karuizawa by softly bringing in the surrounding scenery, light, and landscape. Visitors are able to meander through the space as if walking through a forest, interacting with Mr. Senju’s work and experiencing the richness of nature while spending time on the furniture that rests throughout the space. We intended to make an open and airy space that is like a park and a private living room simultaneously.”
Originally appeared in Modus News 5
Office of Ryue Nishizawa
Ryue Nishizawa, an architect and professor at Yokohama Graduate School of Architecture Y-GSA, was born in 1966, in Tokyo, Japan. In 1990, he graduated from the Yokohama National University with a master’s degree in architecture and joined Kazuyo Sejima & Associates, establishing Sejima and Nishizawa and Associates (SANAA) in 1995, and then the Office of Ryue Nishizawa in 1997.
Ryue Nishizawa photograph by Takashi Okamoto, site plan, by Ryue Nishizawa, and all other photographs ©Daici Ano