designboom visits kengo kuma’s studio in paris
designboom goes inside the parisian office of the prominent japanese architect, where a team of international designers feed the firm's creative process.
as one of the most prominent japanese architects of his generation, kengo kuma has established three offices around the world. his largest outpost is in tokyo, with two other bases in france and china. with a growing, diverse portfolio of completed, ongoing, and prospective projects, designboom visited the parisian studio of kengo kuma and associates, where a medium-sized team of individuals feeds the firm’s creative process.
sectional model of an upcoming conservatory of music project in france
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located at the heart of paris – in the tenth arrondissement, the office was established in 2008. set in an upper floor parisian-style loft space, kuma’s open-plan studio caters to the hectic and constantly expanding international team. going behind the scenes of the fast paced studio, glimpses of the firm’s thought process can be visualized — supporting recognizable projects under construction in france, japan, china, and beyond. scale models are a predominant tool for the team’s design development, where an array of maquettes can be seen displayed in tandem with material samples and a diverse library of books.
close up of the intricately made model
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the FRAC art museum in marseille model
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enamel glass panels detail shown in the FRAC museum model
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the office in paris has approximately 22 people
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printed acetate display the façade detailing of this project
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modelling is a important and useful tool throughout the studio’s design process
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miniature people give the model a sense of scale
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smaller concepts
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in total, kengo kuma has three offices
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material cabinet
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