A futuristic cultural labyrinth, the Kadokawa Culture Museum by Kengo Kuma and Associates is a monolithic granite building that forms the cornerstone of a development called ‘Tokorozawa Town.’ The development site, which lies east of Tokyo, also includes an anime-focused hotel, book store and indoor pavilion for events. The site also includes an independent shrine designed by Kengo Kuma.
In total, the Kadokawa Culture Museum comprises five storeys. The first floor houses a small library and 1,000 square meter gallery for exhibitions. The second floor includes a café and shop, while the third floor is devoted entirely to the presentation of anime.
The fourth floor presents a special feature in the form of a double-height library that can transform into a ‘bookshelf theatre’ due to projection mapping. Eight-meter-tall bookshelves containing 50,000 books reach towards the ceiling. In other locations, a library is joined by another exhibition space. After the fourth floor drama, the fifth floor accommodates a restaurant and a gallery.
20,000 pieces of granite cover the outer wall. Named Black Fantasy, the distinctive granite type was quarried in China and features a strong undulating shade of white spots on a black background. Kengo Kuma and Associates dared to adopt a rough texture that comes from breaking 70mm thick stones and details that do not align the steps at the joints between stones.
The structure is based on a steel structure, but the outer wall is made of steel-framed reinforced concrete that can support the weight of the thick stone. The uncertain appearance of several floors allows the architects to natural blends objects beyond the normal architectural scale.
