Analyzing the Architectural Characteristics of Tadao Ando’s Museum Projects

Abstract

The museum is one of the building types that lead the development of architecture, transcending physical borders and regionalism and revealing the experimental nature of modern architecture. Japanese architect Tadao Ando is a representative architect of contemporary architecture but also designed the most significant number of museums and sublimated traditional Japanese architecture into a modern interpretation. This paper explores Ando’s philosophical background, which seeks to inform the relationship between architecture, humans, and the environment via unique Japanese culture. As a methodology, an existing literature study collected and analyzed various materials necessary to understand Tadao Ando's architectural theory and museum. His workspace's components and details of expression were observed and explored through field visits. Regarding the characteristics of his work, the architectural background and history, and the overall spatial composition and features of the pieces were analyzed with references and drawings. The result showed that Tadao Ando has been constructing architecture using the geometric formative language formed through his experiences in various fields, influenced by Western classical architecture and abstract art. Tadao Ando embodies his attitude towards nature, which is entrenched within him. As a result of a holistic analysis of Tadao Ando's architecture after 1985, It was proven that it is a phenomenon that appears throughout the work, and as the plane of geometry is repeated, the logic of form composition is consistently shown.