Talk: The Space Around Art - A Conversation with Sophie Richard in Asia Society Switzerland

Kodai Architecture & Design
Apr 12, 2022
2 min read

April 2022 | Big Picture — Museum Design in Japan

In April 2022, Yuichi Kodai was a featured guest for Asia Society Switzerland's "Big Picture" series, joining a panel to discuss the unique philosophy behind museum design in Japan.

The conversation, titled "A Conversation About the Space Around Art," explored how Japanese museums transcend the traditional "white cube" by conceptually designing the entire visitor experience. From incorporating materials with historical links to the site to curating views of surrounding nature as artworks themselves, Japanese museum architecture serves as a vital gateway into a culture.

Yuichi Kodai joined art historian Sophie Richard (author of The Art Lover’s Guide to Japanese Museums) and moderator Aurelia Rauch to discuss these themes. Central to the dialogue was the KOHTEI Art Pavilion—designed by Kodai during his time at SANDWICH—which serves as the cover of Richard’s book and stands as an award-winning example of how architecture can foster tangible, meditative interactions with art.

"Japanese museums have perfected the art of conceptually designing the experience of visiting their spaces: by incorporating materials historically linked to the location of the museum or the exhibits on display; by curating tangible interactions with the objects usually locked behind glass panes; or simply by presenting views on the surrounding nature as they would on the artworks inside. From the flow of visitors to the colours, dimensions, and themes chosen for exhibition spaces, the way that museums are designed has a crucial impact on their visitors’ experience.

Why are there so many (private) museums in Japan? Where does the desire for a strong visual identity way beyond the more common white cube come from? Where do the needs and aesthetics of Swiss and Japanese audiences differ? And how can museums serve as gateways into a culture?

Art historian and author of The Art Lover’s Guide to Japanese Museums, Sophie Richard, has talked to many curators and museum directors in Japan. In conversation with architect Yuichi Kodai  – who designed KOHTEI, the award-winning museum complex on the book’s cover – and moderator Aurelia Rauch, she will talk about what she has learned in her research and how it translates beyond the realms of mere aesthetics." by Asia Society Switzerland.