Hara Museum of Art is a private museum in Tokyo, specializing in contemporary art. Originally designed as the residence of the industrialist Kunizo Hara by architect Jin Watanabe in 1938, it was remodeled for its present use in 1979.From 1984 to 1988, new additions such as a cafe and a hall were designed by the architect Arata Isozaki.
The scope of the project was the renovation of the museum building and landscaping of the front garden, court and the parking. Extensive renovation included total renewal of the museum shop, overall repair work of the interior, refreshing the exterior wall using custom ordered tiles and partial replacement of steel sashes.Contrary to the exterior renewal where priority was placed on preserving the original design by Jin Watanabe, the interior scheme, especially the expansion of the museum shop, reforming the toilets in the old office for handicapped use, expanding the locker-room areas were new plans with the convenience of the visitors in mind.
Special care was taken in landscaping the front garden and approach to the main entrance. Plants and lighting were selected considering the changing appearances by day and night time. The court between the cafe and the museum was expanded to the north edge of the site as a sculpture garden and reorganized to function for various performances using exterior effect lighting and other equipments.