ntroduction

This building is born because the French government decides to confiscate Japanese
citizen M. Matsukata much of impressionist art collection amassed during 1916 and 1923,
taking it as a prisoner during the war. Within the collection were works by El Greco, Rodin
sculptures, etc. In 1956, Japan requested the return to France of these works, to which the
French government agreed on the condition that it is a French architect who developed the
project of the building that would house such works. Another condition to be returned is that
this place should be called National Museum of Western Art.

The museum to house the collection Matsukata was commissioned the Swiss-
French Charles-douard Jeanneret-Gris (Le Corbusier) in 1955, with the project completed
by three Japanese apprentices in his studio in Paris: Kunio Maekawa, Junzo Sakakura and
Takamasa Yoshizaka. Later was built in 1958 and completed in 1959 by Shimizu
Corporation.

The Museum is a historically significant building, completed in March 1959 as a symbol of

the resumption of diplomatic relations between Japan and France after the Second World
War. In 1998, the building was listed as Kokyo Kenchiku 100 Sen (100 selected public
buildings), sponsored by the former Ministry of Construction, which determined that it was a
unique public building well established in the local community. The main building has been
designated a Cultural Building in 2007.

Location

The site is located in Ueno Park, north of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, closing the circle of
buildings consisting of the National History Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts and the
Museum of Science. The address is: 7-7 Ueno-Koen, Taito-Ku, 110 Tokyo, Japan.
Concept

Le Corbusier proposed a museum square spiral. The arrangement of the exhibition

spaces spiral is an argument that applies in your projects, from the outside, the building
appears as an opaque container off the ground on piles and with only two openings that
connect the inside with their environment and, connected by a sculptural staircase.

In 1929 Le Corbusier designed a model of unlimited growth Museum (Muse croissance

illimite) for Mundaneum of Geneva. It was a square spiral, on one floor supported by stilts,
which would eventually evolve and grow according to the needs of the project.

There are three versions of this type of museum in the world by architect: Kendra in
Ahmedabbad (1957), the Museum and Art Gallery in Chandigarh Government (1965) and
the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo (1959).

Modulor

Each element of the construction have been applied concepts of Le Corbusier Modulor.
Based on the size and proportions of the human body, is a way to adjust the spirit
architecture, order the infinity of possible dimensions, so as to adapt to the human form.
The Museum of Western Art in Tokyo, the Modulor system can be seen in everything from
the structural to architectural details and decorations.

Spaces

The organization of the building is divided into two parts: the main building based on a
square design and the new administrative wing is north. Both buildings are organized
around their own backyards, in the case of the main building is a covered space, while the
new wing encloses a garden.

Main Building

Occupying land 1.587m2, built 4.399m2 of which correspond to 1.533m2 1.097m2

exhibition galleries and storage, distributed in three floors above ground level, a basement
and a ground terrace. The main entrance is preceded by a square on which rests a statue
of the Thinker by Rodin. At one end of the main facade, on the first floor, a large window
leading to a balcony ledge, leaning on a pillar that serves triangular ceiling at the entrance.
Similar detail is also seen in one of the sides.

The museum is square, square spiral, with the main body of the galleries on stilts at first
floor level, accompanied by a pavilion for temporary exhibitions and a building for plays. Le
Corbusier imagined a set in which the museum also contains a miracle box with a
mysterious and amazing content as opposed to the main volume of the building compact
concrete, never came to fruition. The design is influenced by the Kendra in Ahmedabbad
that Le Corbusier was designed at the same time.

Gallery Exhibitions (Spiral Square)

First floorMuseo Nac de Artes Occ plantas.jpg

The visitor entrance is on the ground floor between piles up around the building and giving
access to the hall in the opposite side offers a ramp up, another recurring architectural
elements in the work of the architect, to the galleries exposure surrounding the main space:
the Board of XIX century. At this level there is access to the conference room, out of the
museums galleries, the main desk, locker, library, health room, access to the gallery B,
toilets, library, museum warehouse, workshops and reserve materials.

The double-height main hall is illuminated from above with a glazed pyramid skylight facing
north, intercepted concrete beams cross and a single column. A spatially highlights this
central exhibition hall with its ramp and triangular skylight and double height gallery, also
with overhead lighting, which exhibits the collection of the nineteenth century. This
highlights its unique exhibition space and towering pillar that rises up to the skylight
supported by cross beams.

Second Floor

One of the favorite resources of Le Corbusier, the ramp leading to the second level and a
large room, the Matsukata gallery with temporary exhibitions, permanent stands,
conference and film. The exhibition spaces of this plant are developed concentrically around
the great hall.
In three different locations within the showroom of this level, there are three independent
mezzanines that are accessed by narrow stairs, giving access to small exhibitions. These
spaces were closed to the public.

In this room there are two balconies that reflect the nineteenth century hall below. From the
first balcony you can look down and see the showroom after another balcony, discovering
the many places offering this building. The showroom has two roof heights, which highlight
the transition between the open and more tablets. The lower ceiling is fixed to 2.26 m
according to Modulor measurements, the other twice the height.

Third Floor

This plant has employees offices, secretarial area, toilets, room care, tea preparation,
documentation room, meeting room, recreation room, conference room, project room,
staircase, electric gallery.

Roof Floor

This plant has shed roofs and skylights, a roof ladder, various pots. For Le Corbusier the
ceilings were an important part of the building. Designed to cover museum with different
shapes and heights, with side windows that allow the passage of natural light to the interior,
decorated with flowerpots and plants, but later was another space not open to the public.

Extension

1979-New Wing

In 1979 a new wing was added to the museum, developed by Maekawa, respecting the
original building, 4.902m2 distributed on two floors above ground level and two
underground. With this expansion 1.525m2 earned more for exposure and 576 for storage.
This new wing was designed to complement visually and structurally integrated with the
main building designed by Le Corbusier. The outer walls open joint used in the binding of
PC boards, creating a double structure which provides thermal insulation. Like the main
building has been surrounded by large trees that create a green courtyard.

1997
Between 1994-1997 a new wing was added for special exhibitions, with two floors above
ground level and two underground, while the entire building was reinforced with new
seismic techniques, while respecting the original building again. The building was built with
the purpose of improving the activities of the museum for the XXI century, focusing on
special exhibitions, restoration, conservation, arts education and information and
documentation.

The new building consists of three main sections and 1,525 m2.

Exhibition Division

Added a facility used exclusively galleries for special exhibitions, in the second basement,
overlooking a courtyard in front, storage area and auditorium are located nearby. The public
access to the galleries from the lobby on the first floor of the Main Building by stairs or
elevators, and returns to the main lobby via escalator.

Research Division

The offices of the Division of Research, responsible for the conservation and restoration,
educational programs and information services, are located on the west side of the main
building, where they connect with the new wing.

Administration Division

As the Research Division, the various offices of the Division of Administration are on the
west side of the building, facing the street.

Structure and Materials

The structure is made from columns of circular cross section reinforced concrete arranged
in a grid of 6.356.35 m, supporting the entire building, a concrete box also stops free plant
based on a concrete slab system reticular, seeking what Le Corbusier came practicing for
his work. The exterior stairs projecting forward from the plane of the facade.
The columns are 60 cm thick on the first floor and 55 cm in the second. Originally they were
53 and 43cm respectively, according to the dimensions of the Modulor, but had to be
thickened so they could offer more resistance in case of earthquake. The columns of the
first floor is made thicker to withstand greater load could also. Were used for formwork pine
wood characteristic patterns printed at the surface of the concrete piles made in situ.

Access is through the gate made piles, because all the container is elevated, creating an
area that is used to display statues. On the walls of the gallery wall is detached from the
main structure, with absolute freedom to the space available. As for the conference, which
is a single element, is composed of a large volume having a concrete grandstand, like
elements are on the outside of concrete were made as in the case of museum exit (stairs).

The concrete was used in the structure, but also in the coating of exterior walls made of
prefabricated based settle in U-shaped frames supported by the inner wall, and where the
concrete is mixed with green stones, the woodwork are steel and some wood trim inside the
building.

Waste

The drains rainwater were placed inside the building. Le Corbusier devised numerous
designs and places to include these drains so visible within the spaces.

Lighting

Le Corbusier designed the gallery of paintings to be naturally lit through four lighting
channels, but these are no longer used, being replaced with artificial lighting. Nevertheless
it can be seen at the top of one side of the roof, in the nineteenth century hall, a large
triangular glazed window, which helps to illuminate the room with natural light.

The triforium gallery above the roof portion in the showroom on the second floor, was
designed to allow in natural light from the roof to the exhibits, but now the gallery is lit
artificially.

On the floor of the same room lights were installed to illuminate the work from below. While
not in use, you can see the glass lids that cover.
Fine vertical concrete mullions are located in places such as the area of housing in the
restaurant or in the museum shop. The rhythmic variation is transforming the lighting
conditions in these areas.

Isolation Seismic Retrofit

The main building of the National Museum of Western Art was renovated by professional
experts who used information obtained from the aftermath of the Great Hanshin / Awaji in
1995.

To install seismic isolation devices in the existing building foundations, was due to make a
technical adjustment that made it more sturdy structure to earthquakes. The restructuring
began in 1996 and ended in 1998, always maintaining the integrity of the original design.