Art@Site www.artatsite.com Akihisa Hirata Bloomberg Pavilion
Artist:

Akihisa Hirata

Title:

Bloomberg Pavilion

Year:
2011
Adress:
Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
Website:
www.domusweb.it:
The exuberant Bloomberg Pavilion designed by Akihisa Hirata is located on the museum entry parterre to become its exciting new symbol. Curators plan to use the pavilion not only as an exhibition space but also for events and performances by young artists working in the Japanese capital. Hirata said that he tried to create a pavilion that resembled a tree, using the same logic. For the Japanese architect, trees are highly symbolic forms because they create shade and can offer ideal shelter and resting places for all of mankind, a function that repeats itself in every corner of the planet.
"I wondered what would happen if the walls were to keep growing upwards and present an uneven surface like 'pleats'. Pleats resemble a tree in the way that they spread out and capture the sun and I felt that they would produce a bright, impressive exterior. I also thought that the space beneath this surface would present a relaxed atmosphere, similar to that of tree shade that would be an ideal quality for an exhibition space."

www.alpolic-americas.com:
Exquisite in his execution, Akihisa Hirata sought for the installation to mimic a tree in both functionality and design. Comprised of a series of triangular metal panels, the exterior of the structure branches outward, producing shade within the interior. To replicate the repetition of tree limbs, Hirata created a pleated design, from which sunlight is reflected from the white metal panels.
The installation is quite intoxicating with the pliable metal resembling folds in origami paper.

www.designboom.com:
‘bloomberg pavilion’ by akihisa hirata architecture office, tokyo, japan photo © takumi ota images courtesy of akihisa hirata architecture office + museum of contemporary art tokyo.
currently on display, the ‘bloomberg pavilion’, an outdoor installation designed by japanese practice akihisa hirata architecture office will become a stage for changing exhibitions for the museum of contemporary art tokyo in japan. placed within the entrance plaza, the construct will become a symbol for the museum. a collaborative initiative with financial information provider bloomberg, the project intends to increase exposure to culture and art by allowing young artists and performers from the city to hold solo exhibits.
the pavilion’s form is derived from the structure of a tree and intends to provide shade to the immediate area. a triangular footprint with crisp planar walls begins to unfold at the roof plane into a series of pleats. the hyplane structure is comprised of white metal panels in the shape of isosceles triangles. the bends create a curving wall which reflects and introduces a soft light into the interior.

www.designboom.com:
Akihisa Hirata is a Japanese architect who was born in Osaka in 1971. after graduating from Kyoto University, hirata worked for Toyo Ito before establishing his own firm, Akihisa Hirata Architecture Office, in 2005.

www.floornature.com:
With the project for the Art Museum and Library of Ota in Japan, Akihisa Hirata has redeveloped the area of the north entrance to a railway station and encouraged pedestrian traffic towards the historic city centre.