Tadao Ando
The Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum
and Annex
Naoshima Island, Japan

Photo: arcspace
The Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum is located on the southern edge of Naoshima island between a high hill covered with deep woods and a promontory of rugged rocks and beach.
The composition of the museum main building's plan consists of three overlapping cubes and a circle, with the rectangular guest wing attached at an angle to it. The hotel Annex is situated on the highest hill of the entire area.
Later this month arcspace will have full features of the Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum and Annex.

Photo: arcspace
Arriving by sea visitors ascend a long staircase that meets the road leading to the museum from town. The Museum entrance is at the end of this deliberately drawn-out approach.

Photo: arcspace
The Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum

Photo: arcspace
The Annex hotel rooms form an elliptical building surrounding a similarly elliptical inner courtyard. The access from the museum below is by specially built cable car.
P.S. A new museum building, also by Tadao Ando, in currently under construction across the cove. The new building will contain a Monet water lily painting and large installations by James Turrell and De Maria.

Photo: arcspace
October 16, 2002
Visit the Image Library to download larger images.
Tadeo Ando arcspace features
