new images document kazuyo sejima's sumida hokusai museum in tokyo

in november 2016, kazuyo sejima — the pritzker prize-winning architect who forms one half of SANAA — completed a new institution in japan dedicated to the work of katsushika hokusai.

in november 2016, kazuyo sejima — the pritzker prize-winning architect who forms one half of SANAA — completed a new institution in japan dedicated to the work of katsushika hokusai. located in tokyo, the sumida hokusai museum intends to celebrate the work of the acclaimed artist, while providing the local community with an important cultural landmark.

now, photographer vincent hecht has taken his own images of the project, offering an in-depth look inside the new museum. fundamentally a monolithic block, kazuyo sejima’s five-storey scheme features angular cut-outs that bring light into the heart of the structure. these geometric forms are continued internally, where walkways and apertures take on a triangular appearance. the building is clad with a subtly reflective façade that allows the building to adapt to its immediate context.

katsushika hokusai, a world-renowned ukiyo-e painter, was born in 1760 and spent almost the entire 90 years of his life in tokyo’s sumida ward. the museum’s collection includes an exhibit of his life that examines the relationship between the artist and the region. special exhibitions relating to studies on hokusai and sumida are held in the gallery, while the museum also conducts seminars, lectures, and workshops that intend to communicate the artist’s work to a broader audience.