National Museum of Art Osaka

 

The National Museum of Art Osaka is unusual in that it is completely underground.

It is located on Nakanoshima, the long island between the Dojima River and the Tosabori River.

The Japanese name translates as National Museum of International Art, although some Japanese works are represented.

The bulk of the collection is post-1945.

It was designed by Cesar Pelli.

The entrance is above ground and is inside a very sculptural structure made out of tubular steel.

Pelli says it represents reeds waving in the wind.

The museum claims it represents bamboo.

The museums origin is in a temporary art museum as part of Expo 70.

It opened in 1977 as the NMAO.

Due to aging facilities it closed down and was moved to the new site at Nakanoshima in 2004.

It is said to be the largest collection of contemporary art in Japan with more than 8,000 pieces.

The collection contains works by Picasso, Cezanne, & Max Ernst.

Mostly paintings, prints, and sculptures, in recent years the musuem has collected workd in other medio including video and Performance art.

The collection is displayed in changing exhibitions and also the msueum hosts special themed exhibitions...

Other Cesar Pelli structures I have covered are the Osaka Museum of History, also in Osaka, and the Seahawk Hotel in Fukuoka with its impressive atrium.

The previous post in this series on architecture in Osaka was on the walk from Namba Yasaka Shrine.

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Atrium at Seahawk Hotel

 

The atrium at the Seahawk Hotel in Fukuoka is huge.

When the hotel was built in 1995 it was the biggest hotel in Japan so its fitting that the atrium would be so large.

It was designed by the Argentinian-American architect Cesar Pelli.

He also designed the Osaka Museum of History that I posted on previously.

The design of the atrium is said to be based on the shape of a shell.

Movable fabric screens shiled the interior from direct sun....

The highest poit of the atrium is the huge glass wall about 40 meters in height.

Huge palm trees and flowing water are a feature...

The atrium is home to numerous shops and several eateries...

The previous post in this series on the modern architecture of Fukuoka was on the Seahawk Hotel main building.

Seahawk Hotel

The Seahawk Hotel in the Hawkstown area of Fukuoka was originally owned by JAL, the national airline. As part of the company's bankruptcy restructuring they had to sell off all their hotels, so now it is owned by Hilton.

With more than 1,000 rooms, when opened it was the biggest hotel in Japan,

There are 34 floors above ground, rising to a height of 143 meters.

Amazingly, every single guest room has a sea view.

The hotel opened in 1995. It was designed by Cesar Pelli.

At first glance it looks like a generic tower block, but in plan view it is shaped like a sleek yacht with a pointed bow and a flat stern.

There is a huge atrium attached to the building and that looks much more typical Pelli

I will cover it in the next post.

The previous post in this series on some of the striking modern architecture of Fukuoka was on the nearby New Fukuoka Tower.