designboom recently had the chance to visit archi-depot (see previous coverage here), the only museum in japan that specializes in architectural models, with a guided tour by foundation director shigeru ban. following the recognition japanese architecture receives worldwide, the museum aims to preserve models of influential architects, including kengo kuma, riken yamamoto, and shigeru ban, and exhibit them as significant archives that pass japanese architectural culture on to the next generation.

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 1
overall view of the archive space
image courtesy of archi-depot

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 2
all images © designboom

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 3
view into the exhibition

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 4
house in kohoku by torafu architects: the tube-shaped windows of the roof let light through

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 5
tiffany ginza by kengo kuma: the facade reflects tiffany’s well known technique of cutting jewelry

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 6
overview of shigeru ban’s projects

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 7
japan pavilion, hannover expo 2000 by shigeru ban

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 8
paper church by shigeru ban, wrapped with a skin of corrugated, polycarbonate sheeting

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 9
curtain wall house by shigeru ban, with tent-like curtains hung on the outer facade between the second and third floors

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 10
the circular soma city kids art maison by shigeru ban, topped with solar panels on its roof

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 11
klein dytham architecture‘s giraffe sky scarper model

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 12
prototypes by klein dytham architecture

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 13
research models of omiyamae gymnasium by jun aoki

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 14
the tree-house project by satoshi takae

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 15
nagareyama otakanomori elementary and junior high school,
otakanomori center, children’s library by kazuhiro kojima + kazuko akamatsu

designboom visits archi-depot, the only museum exhibiting and preserving japan's architectural models - 16overview of the exhibition’s various models