nendo: international triennale of kogei in kanazawa, japan

five pre-fabricated greenhouses act as gallery spaces all images by daici ano

japanese designer nendo was invited to reinvent the interior of rifare – formerly a space leftover from a large bookstore – and transform it into an exhibition venue for the first international triennale of kogei in kanazawa, japan.

the brief for the project was to leave the existing space, more or less intact, without placing any drastic changes within the interior. nendo’s response was to set-up five pre-fabricated agricultural greenhouses made of plastic within the venue which would act as individual gallery spaces. the lighting used to highlight the work inside would emanate from the translucent plastic walls, turning the greenhouses into large ‘illuminated lanterns’ with paths of black stapled carpets running throughout the exhibition venue, acting as ‘trails’.

interior view

in keeping with low costs, nendo created a feeling of ‘farmland’ within the interior, that partitioned the area where people would walk and where the works would be displayed. this form of expression was an expanded version of the ‘home-use greenhouse’ which they had previously implemented at the pre-show  leading up to this event and found this environment the most suitable way of expressing the development and growth of crafts on the ‘soils’ of kanazawa.

exhibition view

inside one of the greenhouse interiors

inside one of the greenhouse interiors

up close of display and greenhouse construction

first international triennale of kogei in kanazawa is on show until june 20th, 2010.