Renovation of KITA-KYUSYU City Museum of Art

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Design Period 1993-1994
Construction period May 1993-September 1993/January 1994-June 1994
Area 7,864m2
Owner City of Kitakyushu
Architect Arata Isozaki & Associates
Structural engineer Kimura Structural Engineers
Mechanical engineer Kankyo Engineering Inc.

PHOTO CREDIT: Kita-kyusyu City Museum of Art

Since its opening in 1974 the Kita Kyushu City Museum of Art has been a popular place for citizens for twenty years. Over the years contemporary art went through various transformation, and ways of displaying art works has been diversified. Since the existing exhibition rooms were not flexible enough to adapt to such changes, the overall renovation of the museum took place.

The main museum has two exhibition rooms for special exhibitions. Originally the rooms were lit by mechanically controlled natural light from grid-shaped skylight ceiling. In this renovation artificial lighting using the latest technology and details was applied so that very delicate control of light is possible. Different lighting systems were applied to the two exhibition rooms to give a special feature to each of them. The first exhibition room has a lighting panel ceiling so that all art works can be lit evenly. The second exhibition room, on the contrary, has a flexible lighting system using wall washers and lighting tracks, and the ceiling is higher than the first room. The north wall of the second room opens up to offer the view of Kita Kyushu City. This time double-wall system is applied so that the room can be completely darkened if necessary. This museum owns many large-scale art works. The permanent exhibition room was converted to provide suitable exhibition space for such large works. In section the ceiling is lowered in the middle and lighting system is set up at the gap between the higher ceiling panels on both sides and the lowered ceiling panel in the middle. As a result maximum ceiling height is obtained, and the room is lit by discreet source of light.

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