The new building in the center of the Japanese capital was designed by Ando himself. This building is part of the ensemble of the new modern area "Tokyo Midtown".
The center is named "21_21 Design sight", as such a repetition of the number "21" in English means more than a high quality of something.
Ando and Miyake emphasize that we are not talking about a new museum: it will be a place for creativity, the creation of new works, and not just a meeting with the past. The center should become a symbol of Japanese design, Japanese aesthetics for the whole world, changing the current perception of this country as a territory of unusually developed industry and economic prosperity.
The low-rise building is made of vibrated concrete and consists of two parts, covered with a double steel roof of triangular shape. The main facade of the building is almost completely glazed.
The complex includes two exhibition galleries, one of which is located in the basement, and two conference and film showrooms.
A detailed story about the construction of the center is presented at the first exhibition in "21_21 Design sight", which will last until April 18. In the future, there will be two biennial exhibitions dedicated to a common theme, chosen in turn by Issei Miyake, Taku Sato or Naoto Fukusawa - two other directors of the center, famous Japanese designers. The first such topic proposed by Fukusawa was chocolate.
