This is an annex building to Kita-Kyushu City Museum of Fine Arts. In addition to the main museum (which opened in 1974) the annex was planned to offer space for permanent exhibition of local artists’ works. Located on the hill east of the main museum, the annex building consists of citizens’ gallery which can be operated independently on the first floor, storage rooms on the second floor, and atrium, prints gallery, open terrace on the third floor.
The annex is connected to the main museum by the open corridor on the third floor. Crossing the corridor visitors enter an atrium with a sky-lit courtyard surrounded by four cross-vault ceiling corridors. The atrium space is finished with coarse-textured materials such as exposed concrete and saw-finished travertine, yet the natural skylight creates a gentle atmosphere. The prints gallery is a rectangular room with a typical section of a classical art gallery, yet artificial lighting from above creates a similar effect as natural skylight. The terrace at far end is an open space surrounded by 4.8 meter-high walls, and can be used for various events such as sculpture exhibition or a small concert.
The exterior finish is composed of three elements; exposed concrete, which looks like rusticated stone masonry, is used at the base; bricks of solid wall tiles and marble are used on the walls; and the smooth aluminum panels are used on the vaulted roof.