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9 Kengo Kuma Buildings That Prove His Genius

May 31, 2023

The celebrated Japanese architect has created a signature style that embraces both tradition and modernity.

Since starting his eponymous firm in 1990, Kengo Kuma has become one of the most prolific architects of the 21st century. The recipient of multiple awards, including a placement on Time magazines illustrious Time 100 list in 2021, Kuma is regarded for his sensitive use of materials—particularly wood—and his goal to reinterpret traditional Japanese architecture for the modern day. With work spanning over three decades, the AD100 Hall of Famer has no shortage of impressive projects. Below, AD looks back at 9 of Kuma’s most influential and career-defining buildings.  

LVMH, Osaka, 2004

This uniquely luminous building houses both offices and stores. To achieve its unusual effect, Kengo Kuma used slabs of onyx for the exterior walls and an onyx print placed between glass plates for the windows. This allows for those inside to still see views, while preserving its all-stone aesthetic on the exterior. Kuma’s design offers a thoughtful reflection on the sometimes ambiguous difference between a wall and a window.

Ginzan Hot Springs Fujiya Inn, Yamagata, 2007

This famous spa built in an early 20th-century style offers a journey into Japan’s traditions and culture. For the renovation of this hotel, which includes a number of hot springs, Kuma used reclaimed wood to build a contemporary façade that blends perfectly with the building’s original design. This reconciliation of old and new resulted in a harmonious structure with a quiet and relaxing atmosphere.

Garden Terrace Nagasaki Hotel & Resort, Nagasaki, 2009

While Kuma was interested in European architecture during his early years, he would later be drawn towards traditional Japanese design. This led to his use of wood as his preferred material and the creation of his unique style that combines traditional and contemporary elements. In this building, he played with three distinct volumes: a large box acting as a hall and a roof, a smaller one beneath it, and a third, linear volume. The different shapes have a homogeneity with all appearing like they were carved out of wood, despite their large sizes.

Nagaoka City Hall Aore, Niigata, 2012

With the goal of bringing a public building back into the city center, the Nagaoka City Hall was deliberately located within walking distance of the city’s residential areas. Inspired by a number of European city halls, its interior is like a compact micro-city. Though contained, it still feels connected to the outside world with its wood and glass exterior walls. 

Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center, Tokyo, 2012

Kuma has long been interested in creating innovative spaces that promote exchange. In this building, he combined a tourism office, a conference room, exhibition areas, and multiple offices. The sloping angles of each floor provide different views of the city while also organizing the building’s programming.

Shimonoseki-Shi Kawatana Onsen Koryu Center, Yamaguchi, 2009

With the aim of revitalizing Kawatana, a city historically known for its spas, Kuma created a versatile building that hosts exhibitions and events, a folk museum focused on local culture and traditions, and a tourism information office.  In order to minimize the impact on the surrounding landscape, he gave the complex a profile that echoes that of nearby mountains. This lively cultural space is centered around a reception area that facilitates a fluid movement of spectators through both the indoor and outdoor areas.

The Daiwa Ubiquitous Computing Research Building, Tokyo, 2014

Perhaps the most unique element of this building, which is part of the University of Tokyo, is its façade covered with thin strips of cedar. The material creates a remarkable contrast with many concrete academic buildings. These strips are organized in groups of five to 10 to offer a curved and organic aspect to the structure. Naturally ventilated and always open to the elements, a hundred sensors are placed through the research facility to help regulate the temperature and humidity. 

Toshima Ward Office (Toshima Ecomusee Town), Tokyo, 2015

This groundbreaking complex houses the offices of the Toshima’s government, a high-rise condominium, and a vertical garden (a feature central to the building’s ecological goals). Containing solar panels and reclaimed wood elements, it is covered with greenery that gives it the appearance of a huge tree, with a goal to reconnect the city’s inhabitants with nature.

Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, 2019

In this building on the site of an earlier national stadium, Kuma once again used wood as the primary construction material—a perfect representation of his ideas on traditional style turned towards the future. By using cedar and small pieces of other woods, it offers the visitor a striking spectacle reminiscent of elaborate traditional Japanese structures. Inspired specifically by the Horyuji Temple in Karuga, Japan, Kuma’s “forest stadium” embraces nature.

This article is originally available in www.architecturaldigest.com