Looking at the Iwaki Museum of Picture Books for Children

The Iwaki Museum of Picture Books for Children by Tadao Ando is located in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. Completed in 2005, this privately owned library was built to serve three preschools in the surrounding area. In 2003, Maki Rei conceived the idea for the museum as a way to house her collection of international children’s books and act as a library for children to enjoy her 1300 books at their own leisure. Much like Ando’s other work, this museum and library combines the environmental aspects of the landscape with the mentality of the specific users in mind.

In this project, Ando joins the surrounding site with the building by visually inviting nature into the space. By careful material selection, he is able to enhance natural light and design architecture that follows the natural form of the landscape. By abandoning the idea that museums and libraries need to be center oriented and inward facing, Ando allows users to have an encompassing view across the Pacific Ocean from anywhere in the building. With the use of large glass windows, the interior space is flooded with natural light and provides a warm and welcoming environment for its users.

Based on Ando’s overall sensitivity to the context of his buildings and strive to counter the placelessness and lack of identity of Modern architecture, his work demonstrates the key aspects of critical regionalism.

Moving away from the traditional layout of libraries, Ando designs a space that is targeted towards children. Within the Iwaki Museum, children are encouraged to engage with the books on their outward facing shelves and read together on one of the many mezzanine levels.

Metaphorically relating the museum to Himitsu-Bako

The first impression of his architecture is its materiality. The large and often stark concrete walls tend to set the tone for the interior of the building. However, the exterior of the Iwaki Museum bares a great difference from its interior. Although concrete elements are continued within the museum, the space opens up into a spacious and well-lit area with no resemblance to its concrete casing. Colours are supplied by the bright patterns of the books as they face outward on recessed wood shelving, giving life to the interior of the museum. With Ando’s building materials being concrete, glass, and wood, he allows the books to be the feature of the space.

Similar to Himitsu-Bako, the exterior serves as a disguise to deceive the viewer, giving no indication of its anatomical complexities or the secrets within its undescriptive walls.

By: Bridget, M2