designboom visits kengo kuma's studio in paris

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
image © designboom (also main image)

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
image © designboom

the FRAC art museum in marseille model
image © designboom

enamel glass panels detail shown in the FRAC museum model
image © designboom

the office in paris has approximately 22 people
image © designboom

printed acetate display the façade detailing of this project
image © designboom

modelling is a important and useful tool throughout the studio’s design process
image © designboom

miniature people give the model a sense of scale
image © designboom

smaller concepts
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in total, kengo kuma has three offices
image © designboom

material cabinet
image © designboom

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