This museum was founded to preserve and exhibit valuable collection
of achievement of Kumagusu Minakata, who was a Japanese author, naturalist, biologist and ethnologist.
The museum building is located on top of the hill in the Banshoyama park as if it is sliding into the forest around.
Our furniture project was started from initial researching of the site and also from the architectural models presented for the whole planning.
The main goal was to create furniture which would respond well to the
style of the architecture.
Not simply combining furniture with the interior of the building, but we have focused on creating “marble pattern” in which architecture and furniture are fused without losing each color and existence.
The book shelves are embedded in the wall, and by the same manner,
small showcases are installed randomly in the information counter which is finished by a plasterer.
The large oval table has the same finish as the information counter, and the design is kept very simple to highlight its texture. This table is to “receive” the cylindrical lantern hanging down in the atrium.
The open-air observatory deck is featured with the round shape benches just like a cutout of the surrounding landscape. The cylindrical volume was once cut out from the landscape,then set on the flat surface of the viewing deck.
Our attempt was to create interrelationship between architecture and furniture, bringing the linkage to the ecological view of Kumagusu Minakata who was a great naturalist.