ryue nishizawa: teshima art project museum

‘teshima art project museum’ image courtesy office ryue nishizawa

‘teshima art project museum’ designed by ryue nishizawa, co-founder of SANAA architects features an organic curved white pod structure which blends into the rice paddies and hillside landscapes of the teshima island.  the museum, reminiscent of a water droplet, is designed with no pillars and integrates openings into its shell structure allowing visitors to have view overlooking the sea side.

‘teshima art project museum’ is one of a series of commissioned projects initiated by entrepreneur and art collector soichiro fukutake with the goal of growing the cultural and creative hub of japan’s setouchi inland sea. the area in recent decades has seen a great decline in population leaving some islands abandoned. in undertaking this initiative, the inland is being redefined as a meeting point for contemporary art.

currently in construction, the opening of ryue nishizawa’s teshima art project museum will take place during the start of the 2010 setouchi international arts festival in july.