The Heisei Chinshinkan Wing, Kyoto National Museum *
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Completion:2014
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Principal use:Museum
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Location:Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
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Total floor area:17,997㎡
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Floor:2 basements and 4 stories
A new wing of the Kyoto National Museum completed over 16 years
Heisei Chishinkan was built as a new wing to the Kyoto National Museum [designed by architect Tokuma Katayama and completed in 1895, designated as an Important Cultural Property], which is located on the northern side of Sanjusangen-do, a Buddhist temple in the Higashiyama District of Kyoto. The design of the Heisei Chisinkan wing is in stark contrast to the precise Renaissance left-right symmetry of the massive Main Exhibition Hall. The height of the eaves of the building matches that of the Main Exhibition Hall, thus maintaining a sense of continuity, but the resemblance ends there. The thin pillars and horizontally extended eaves, the spacious front lobby with its traditional Japanese lattice motifs, and the asymmetrical spatial structure that uses straight lines and understated materials masterfully link the interior and the exterior of the structure, and create a traditional Japanese ambience in harmony with the surrounding environment.