The Seiji Togo Memorial Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Museum of Art, initially established in 1976 on the 42nd floor of the Sompo Japan Head Office Building, has relocated to a new, purpose-built Sompo Museum of Art. This modern facility is situated at the base of the head office building, offering a fresh, accessible cultural venue in the heart of Nishi-Shinjuku.
Since the 1970s, Nishi-Shinjuku has emerged as significantly important to the development of Tokyo, its characteristic feature being an intensive mixture of commercial working and living places. Traditionally, this district has been among the earliest to embrace the construction of tall structures and complex buildings. However, the process of renewal in the last couple of years has involved revitalising the area by applying new methods that do not involve traditional reconstruction.
One of the main issues that Nishi-Shinjuku has faced for the past decades is not having a bustling life on the streets. This problem was addressed with the “Nishi-Shinjuku Area Town Development Guidelines,” stimulating policies that would bring vitality to the area. Thus, in accordance with these standards, the new Sompo Museum of Art is planned to function as an ‘art landmark’ that would contribute to the increase of the cultural and artistic potential of Shinjuku.
The site for the new museum was secured when the city planners adjusted the wall lines of the existing block according to the provisions made in the urban planning systems. Besides, utilising the “collective building design system,” they built the freestanding Museum on the same plot of land as the headquarters. This allowed the implementation of the new museum into the process of revitalization with relatively minor modifications in construction.
Instead of being created within the traditional frameworks of architecture, the new museum is intended to be distinctive and visually striking. Referring to the works of Seiji Togo, the curves on the museum’s appearance imitate the curvilinear lines of female figures depicted in his art and look harmoniously combined with the subtle curves of the adjacent headquarters building. The museum walls are made with the vertical stripes of the welded steel plates. These weld marks or beads give the surface a three-dimensional appearance that transforms it depending on the season or the hour, similar to “Sunflowers” by Vincent Van Gogh, which is part of the museum’s collection, as well.
Architectural Innovation and Design Inspiration
The exhibition floors offer insulated spaces that are suitable for viewing art, while the lower elevations have an openness that is inviting. A large glass wall measuring 16m in width and 8m in height links the indoor environment to the urban landscape and contributes to the overall open architectural design of the building.
The new Seiji Togo Memorial Sompo Museum of Art, for example, was built as part of the regeneration efforts in the post-modern context of Nishi-Shinjuku. Thus, combining modern and contemporary architecture with traditional Japanese art and focusing on the story of Seiji Togo, the museum is not only a symbol of the past but also enhances the idea of Tokyo as a modern megacity.
Project Info
Architects: TAISEI DESIGN Planners Architects & Engineers
Area: 3955 m²
Year: 2020
Manufacturers: AGC Inc. , Taiheiyo Precast Concrete
Lead Architect: Yasuaki Nakafuji
Contractors: Taisei Corporation, Shimizu Corporation, Konoike Corporation
Design Team: Katsuhiko Kubo, Nobuyuki Kawamura, Makoto Ibuka, Yasuaki Nakafuji, Kengo Naito, Kazumasa Dempo, Takahiro Endo, Hideaki Tomiya, Yutaka Watanabe
Structural Engineers: Takao Nitta, Haruo Kobayashi, Yuji Isshiki, Hideshi Aono, Yumi Sakurai, Kayo Yasuda
Mep Engineers: Shinsuke Takeuchi, Tomoko Syoji, Takuya Suzuki, Eiji Miyake
Interior Designer: Taro Endo
Landscape Designers: Takefumi Yamashita, Yasuo Kase
Client: Sompo Japan Insurance
City: Shinjuku City
Country: Japan
Photographs: SS Co.,Ltd., Shinkenchiku-Sha Co.,Ltd.
