Kengo Kuma’s latest work is the Comico Art Museum. Located in Japan’s Ōita prefecture. Comico Art Museum Yufuin is located across from Yufudake Mountain–the symbol of Yufuin. The museum inherited its name from the Yufuin city. This location, which looks over the gentle, sloping ridges of Yufudake Mountain, magnificent yet unintimidating, is also the former site of the previous Yufuin Art Museum.
The new museum for contemporary art designed by Kengo Kuma, near a famous hot spring resort in Kyushu which has fostered a unique local culture in Yufuin.

In order to integrate the musuem with its forested mountains which frame the Yufuin basin Kengo Kuma proposed covered the building with Yakisugi (charred cedar). This traditional method of wood preservation, is a traditional treatment commonly used on the exterior of buildings, particularly in western Japan. The structure appears as a deep-black volume from afar, but moving closer reveals the warmth of the wood and a unique scaly pattern of the cedar.

The museum has two facing exhibition rooms seem to observe each other over a shallow pool which extends from the exterior, at the ground level.  On the 2nd floor is wrapped with wood and washi, a traditional japanese paper.

The landscape connected to it is arranged as a garden for contemplating the noble presence of Mount Yufu).

Comico is one of the businesses that comprise the core of NHN JAPAN, and is an all-around entertainment platform that provides web comics, manga, novels, and movies. At comico, their goal is to create a communication platform for artists, and to share high-quality art.
 

Description of project by Kengo Kuma

There is a small museum for contemporary art, near a famous hot spring resort in Kyushu which has fostered a unique local culture in the nearby town of Yufuin.

In order to highlight the thickly forested mountains which frame the Yufuin basin and thus the art work exhibited in the museum, we covered the building with yakisugi (charred cedar). This is a treatment in which we carbonize the surface of a cedar panel, resulting in a much more durable material. Yakisugi has been commonly used on the exterior of buildings, particularly in western Japan.

The structure appears as a deep-black volume from afar, but moving closer reveals the warmth of the wood and a unique scaly pattern of the cedar. By rowlocking the cedar panel randomly, the wall (with a height exceeding 4 m) was given a strong rhythm, harmonizing with the townscape of Yufuin.

The two facing exhibition rooms seem to observe each other over a shallow pool which extends from the exterior. To provide a contrast with the two minimally finished volumes, the lounge on the 2nd floor is wrapped with wood and washi, while the dry landscape connected to it is arranged as a garden for contemplating the noble presence of Yufu-dake (Mount Yufu).

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Architects
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Kengo Kuma
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Venue
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2995-1 Yufuincho Kawakami, Yufuin City, Oita Prefecture, Japan
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Area
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602.97 m²
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Completed.- 09. 2017
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Kengo Kuma was born in Yokohama (Kanagawa, Japan) in 1954. He studied architecture at the University of Tokyo, finishing his degree in 1979. In 1987, he opened the "Spatial Design Studio". In 1990 he founded "Kengo Kuma & Associates" and extended the study to Europe (Paris, France) in 2008. Since 1985 and until 2009, has taught as a visiting professor and holder at the universities of Columbia, Keio, Illinois and Tokyo.

Notable projects include Japan National Stadium (2019), V&A Dundee (2019), Odunpazari Modern Art Museum (2019), and The Suntory Museum of Art (2007).

Kengo Kuma proposes architecture that opens up new relationships between nature, technology, and human beings. His major publications include Zen Shigoto(The complete works, Daiwa S hobo)Ten Sen Men (“point, line, plane”, IwanamiShoten), Makeru Kenchiku (Architecture of Defeat, Iwanami Shoten), Shizen na Kenchiku(Natural Architecture, Iwanami Shinsho), Chii sana Kenchiku (Small Architecture, IwanamiShinsho) and many others.

Main Awards:

· 2011 The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Art Encouragement Prize for "Yusuhara Wooden Bridge Museum."
· 2010 Mainichi Art Award for “Nezu Museum.”
· 2009 "Decoration Officier de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" (France).
· 2008 Energy Performance + Architecture Award (France). Bois Magazine International Wood Architecture Award (France).
· 2002 Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture Award (Finland).
· 2001 Togo Murano Award for “Nakagawa-machi Bato Hiroshige Museum.”
· 1997 Architectural Institute of Japan Award for “Noh Stage in the Forest”. First Place, AIA DuPONT Benedictus Award for “Water/Glass” (USA).

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Published on: May 12, 2018
Cite: "Black textures. Comico Art Musuem Yufuin by Kengo Kuma" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/black-textures-comico-art-musuem-yufuin-kengo-kuma> ISSN 1139-6415
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