An engawa museum. Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma
06/01/2023.
[Boulogne-Billancourt] France
metalocus, ADELA BONAS
metalocus, ADELA BONAS
Kengo Kuma and Associates which is based in Japan but has an office in Paris renovated and completed the Albert-Kahn departmental museum, opening its doors in magnificent surroundings, in Boulogne-Billancourt, western side of Paris, after six years of work.
The competition launched in 2012 for the Departmental Council of Hauts-de-Seine had received 92 proposals, the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma unanimously won the support of the jury, reinterpreting the elements of Japanese architecture, omnipresent in the gardens of the place, developing a building that is defined by the selection of the materials and its use.
The public discovers a 4-hectare site restructured, combining new modern buildings and restorations respectful of the history of the place: a museum of photography and films (a collection of 72,000 photographs, captured over 50 countries between 1909 and 1931), in the heart of a garden that highlights the project of its creator, the banker and late philanthropist Albert Kahn (1860-1940).
The competition launched in 2012 for the Departmental Council of Hauts-de-Seine had received 92 proposals, the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma unanimously won the support of the jury, reinterpreting the elements of Japanese architecture, omnipresent in the gardens of the place, developing a building that is defined by the selection of the materials and its use.
The public discovers a 4-hectare site restructured, combining new modern buildings and restorations respectful of the history of the place: a museum of photography and films (a collection of 72,000 photographs, captured over 50 countries between 1909 and 1931), in the heart of a garden that highlights the project of its creator, the banker and late philanthropist Albert Kahn (1860-1940).
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Julia Brechler.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Think Utopia.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Julia Brechler.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Alice Dubet.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Alice Dubet.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Think Utopia.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Julia Brechler.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Julia Brechler.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Olivier Ravoire
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Olivier Ravoire
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Stephanie Gutierrez Ortega
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Stephanie Gutierrez Ortega
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Stephanie Gutierrez Ortega
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Stephanie Gutierrez Ortega
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Stephanie Gutierrez Ortega
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Stephanie Gutierrez Ortega
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Julia Brechler.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Julia Brechler.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Julia Brechler.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Carole Rabourdin.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Willy Labre.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Alice Dubet.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Stephanie Gutierrez Ortega
Site plan. Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma.
Ground floor and basement floor plans. Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma.
First and second floor plans and roof plan. Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Julia Brechler.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Julia Brechler.
The new building of 2300 m² and the renovation of eight additional buildings (seven heritage buildings and the old exhibition gallery) designed by the architect Kengo Kuma is inspired by Albert Kahn's special relationship with Japan, paying special attention to highlighting the relationship between the city, the museum and the garden. The new building was designed to more closely link the museum's collection with the elaborate gardens opened by Kahn in 1937, which showcase landscape elements from five different continents.
Since 2015, the total area of the 4-hectare park, which includes the gardens and various buildings, such as the Albert Kahn house and the Archives du Planete, has been listed as Historical Monuments of France, all in charge of the "Département des Hauts-de-Seine", owner of the site since 1968.
Kahn had a special passion for Japan. Taking this as his starting point, Kuma drew inspiration for the new building from the engawa, a sort of porch or veranda typical of Japanese architecture.
Since 2015, the total area of the 4-hectare park, which includes the gardens and various buildings, such as the Albert Kahn house and the Archives du Planete, has been listed as Historical Monuments of France, all in charge of the "Département des Hauts-de-Seine", owner of the site since 1968.
Kahn had a special passion for Japan. Taking this as his starting point, Kuma drew inspiration for the new building from the engawa, a sort of porch or veranda typical of Japanese architecture.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Julia Brechler.
“The engawa is not a border or a boundary, rather it is a transition between inside and outside. An intermediate connective area that allows the building to establish a relationship with its surroundings. It lends itself to movement in space as well as contemplation of the garden.”
Kengo Kuma
The new building is an elongated volume that acts as a border and filter between Rue du Port and the park, which, seen from the city, looks like a gigantic piece of origami, with its exterior façade clad in blades of aluminium through which the interiors can be intuited. While the garden side envelope is mainly made of wood, and sometimes these two materials are gradually mixed. This gives the building a biological skin that smoothly adapts to different environments while interacting with them.
In line with Japanese tradition, to prevent evil spirits from getting in, the entrance is not at the front: some flights of steps located under the galleries invite people to enter, going past a small Zen garden. It is the beginning of a journey that leads visitors to turn their backs on the city and enter a special space, to discover pictures and films of a lost world and the nature of a special garden. The dream of Albert Kahn of blending the garden and display space was achieved by blending the environment and architecture.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
Project description by Kengo Kuma
Art museum is located on the south side of the Bois de Boulogne, a large public park on the western side of Paris.
This museum was founded by Albert Kahn (1840-1940), a trading merchant who recorded scenes from his travels around the world in 72,000 colour photographs and 183,000 meters of film. These archives consist of the central part of the collection. He was particularly interested in Japan and other regions in Asia, and his photographs which tell the story of life in Asia at the time have high historical and ethnic value.
Reproducing the gardens from the five continents of the world was a dream of Albert Kahn, and the Japanese garden in particular which was built by gardeners that he hired from Japan is a sight to see.
Albert-Kahn departmental museum by Kengo Kuma. Photograph by Michel Denance.
The display space was designed in an extended linear sequence from the paths through this garden. A screen made from aluminium and wood is inserted between the path and exterior environment while it continues to meander horizontally and vertically, controlling the relationship between the two. The dream of Albert Kahn of blending the garden and display space was achieved by blending the environment and architecture.
The envelope on the city side is mainly made from aluminium, and the envelope on the garden side is mainly made from wood, and at times these two materials are mixed in a gradational manner. This gives the building a biological skin that gently adapts to different environments while interacting with them.
More information
Architects
Kengo Kuma and Associates.- Lead architect.- Kengo Kuma.
Project Team
Diego Lopez Arahuetes, Sarah Markert, Marion Geinzer.
Competition team.- Kengo Kuma, Marion Geinzer, Victor Lefebvre, Jordi Vinyals, Claudia Awad, Hsiao Ming, Kevin Young Lee, Majid Katir, Baptiste Lobjoy, Yuko Ushioda, Hiroyo Yamamoto, Diego Lopez Arahuetes.
Competition team.- Kengo Kuma, Marion Geinzer, Victor Lefebvre, Jordi Vinyals, Claudia Awad, Hsiao Ming, Kevin Young Lee, Majid Katir, Baptiste Lobjoy, Yuko Ushioda, Hiroyo Yamamoto, Diego Lopez Arahuetes.
Developer / Client
Builders
CASTELALU, EHRMANN, NORMEN, BALAS, SPIE, PLACOUEST.
Area
Site area.- 43,634 m²
Floor area of 4,600 m².
Floor area of 4,600 m².
A new building of 2,300 m² of floor space and eight renovated buildings.
Height.- 3 floor above the ground.
Height.- 3 floor above the ground.
Dates
From the competition in 2012 to completion in April 2022.
Location
2 Rue du Port, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
Photography
Michel Denance, Olivier Ravoire, Think Utopia, Julia Brechler, Willy Labre, Alice Dubet, Carole Rabourdin, Willy Labre.
KENGO KUMA
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 extend the study to Europe (Paris, France) in 2008. Since 1985 and until 2009, has taught as visiting professor and holder at the universities of Columbia, Keio, Illinois and Tokyo.
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).
Categories
Our selection
