Toyama Kirari / Kengo Kuma and Associates

Architects: Kengo Kuma and Associates
Location: Toyama, Toyama Prefecture, Japan
Lead Architects: ＲＩＡ・隈研吾・三四五設計共同体
Area: 26792.0 m2
Project Year: 2015
Photographs: Yi-Hsien Lee Photography

Text description provided by the architects. Toyama Kirari is located at the heart of Toyama City. It is a building that integrates a glass art museum, city library, and a local bank.

A diagonal void at the center of the building distributes natural light from the south effectively, and helps to connect the three main programs. Panels of local solid cedar surrounding the void contribute to create a warm and friendly atmosphere, and is worthy of being called the core of the community.

The glass art museum and the library are naturally unified by way of this central space, which helps to remove the typically cold and formal image of conventional public buildings.