Abstract
ABSTRACT This study examines the prototypes, characteristics, and perspectives of public space in museums whose existential values and concepts have continuously changed based on their historical contexts. Based on an understanding of museum architecture and its cultural and social context in Japan, this research focuses on two national museums that represent Japanese modern and contemporary eras. In particular, this research examines The National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo – designed by Le Corbusier, an internationally known French architect, in the 20th century – and the public space of The National Art Centre – the fifth national museum in Japan which was designed in the environment of Japanese museums by a Japanese representative architect, Kisho Kurokawa. This research concentrates on the public space within museums that reflects the flows and social demands of the era, rather than focusing on the architects’ design concepts or architectural analysis. A thorough analysis will be conducted, focusing on the museums’ floor plans, sections, images, and diagrams to showcase the characteristics and perspectives of public space in 21st century museums
Highlights
The existential values and concepts underlying museums have continuously changed based on the historical context
This research examines The National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo – designed by Le Corbusier, an internationally known French architect, in the 20th century – and the public space of The National Art Centre – the fifth national museum in Japan which was designed in the environment of Japanese museums by a Japanese representative architect, Kisho Kurokawa
As of 2017, The Independent Administrative Institution National Museum of Art is composed of five art museums – The National Museums of Modern Art in Tokyo and Kyoto, the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo, the National Museum of Art in Osaka, and the National Art Centre in Tokyo
Summary
The existential values and concepts underlying museums have continuously changed based on the historical context. The public understood modern museums as a part of upper class culture. Claire Bishop (2016) points out, "with museums’ current emphasis on entertainment, there is an inherent risk that they have changed into 'amusement parks' or 'populist temples'." Bishop argues that museums should be a balanced public space. The purpose of this study is to analyse the periodical changes in museums’ demand for public space with a special focus on National Museums of Art in Japan, which experienced a steep decline in visits after the era of the Japanese bubble economy (December 1986–Feburary 1991). In 2016, NMWA received 1.3 million visitors and NACT received 1.6 million visitors according to the statistics These figures are more than twice those of other national museums. This study aims to provide a practical basis for evaluating museums’ public space
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