Libraries are hot right now! Take a tour of library architecture (photography allowed inside the building)!
A world of art to visit, see and feel
File.6 Libraries are hot right now ! Take a tour of library architecture ( photography allowed inside the building) !
Miyuki Inoue (copywriter)
With the National Museum of Western Art in Ueno, Tokyo, now registered as a World Heritage Site, there has been growing interest in architecture. Looking around, I noticed a wonderful piece of architecture in Kanagawa Prefecture: the Kanagawa Prefectural Library.
The designer, Kunio Maekawa, is one of Japan's leading architects, having studied under the architectural master Le Corbusier and been involved in the detailed design of the National Museum of Western Art, which Corbusier also designed. I want to emphasize that the prefectural library opened in 1954, which means it opened before the National Museum of Western Art (which opened in 1959)! Kanagawa Prefecture is amazing.
A tour of this magnificent building was held. As it was a special event held on a closed day, photography inside the building was permitted, something that normally requires permission. This was a must-see!
As the museum is closed on the day of the tour, we head to the new building entrance on the south side (the Youth Center side) instead of the main entrance. On the way, we admire the exterior wall of the main building. Its beautiful form is covered with hollow bricks known as "hollow bricks."
The current hollow bricks were replaced during renovations in 2011, but due to budgetary constraints it was not possible to replace all of them. As a result, the grid pattern has unfortunately disappeared beyond the staff entrance shown in the photo.
The tour begins with a rare film showing the construction process. It is impressive to see that, despite being a reinforced concrete building, it was built almost entirely by hand.
Incidentally, the person who spearheaded the design of the library was Kito Azusa, a staff member at Maekawa Architects. He is known as a pioneer in library architecture, having later designed the National Diet Library.
A staff member guided us to the general reading room.
The large atrium creates an open and comfortable atmosphere. It's easy to see why some people have described the green garden outside the window as "like Karuizawa."
On the outside of the large glass surface, curved louvers are lined up in an orderly fashion, supporting the building while also preventing the setting sun from filtering into the building.
This is the reading room on the second floor. This is the view from inside the "Hollow Brick." It is designed to block out views from outside and ensure a certain level of privacy, while blocking out sunlight in the summer and letting in warm natural light in the winter.
Another look at hollow brick from the outside. Painting the inside white helps reflect sunlight and even out the lighting in the room.
The original was fired in a kiln in Aichi Prefecture, but the restored version was fired in Shigaraki. Since neither the clay nor the kiln from that time remains, the original was restored and repaired through repeated trial and error of glazes.
When the library first opened, original chairs were also designed. They are said to have been designed to be the most suitable shape for reading a book, but unfortunately the originals no longer exist.
The one currently on display in the reading room is a reproduction based on the original document. It has been faithfully reproduced, so be sure to sit down and take a look.
The stairs leading from the main entrance to the second floor. The handrail's shape and coloring, which are easy to grip, are characteristic of Maekawa's architecture.
We also sneak into the archives, which are normally off-limits!
The first and second floors of the archives are fitted with bookshelves that run through two floors, which also serves to increase the strength of the building.
If you try looking under the bookshelf from the upper floor, you can see the bookshelf below through the gap. It's quite strange...
Ms. Yamashita Itsukiko served as our guide for the library architecture tour (photography inside the building was allowed). On the day, she was dressed in the basic colors of the library architecture: green, black, and yellow. As expected!
On my way out, I looked back from the music hall and noticed that the building itself had a sign that read "Kanagawa Prefectural Library." It was imposing and beautiful.
I have always been a frequent visitor to the library, and I was amazed at how this comfortable space was infused with the ideas and passion of cutting-edge architects.
By the way, the music hall that was built at the same time is currently undergoing renovations, so I would like to cover it again at another time.
