Shigeru Ban Architects, Hiroyuki Hirai · Oita Prefectural Art Museum

Hiroyuki Hirai

To service the various events, functions and installations that will be held at the museum, traditional Japanese horizontal bi-folding glass doors and moveable exhibition walls are used to create a flexible and adaptable space to meet all of the user’s requirements. Furthermore, rather than creating a closed off box, the museum is designed as an open environment, continuously connecting the visitor and passerby to the activities inside. When the horizontal bi-folding glass doors are open at the ground floor, the atrium and outdoor space transform into one large semi-outdoor space. The front road can also convert into an exhibition space, potentially transforming the entire neighborhood into one large event space.