Heisei Chishinkan Wing
The Heisei Chishinkan (“Hall of Discovering the New”) collections hall was opened in September of 2014. It occupies the same location as the former Collections Hall, which was extant from 1966 until 2009.
An extensive archaeological investigation of the site during reconstruction revealed the presence of foundation stones for columns of the former South Gate of nearby Hokoji Temple. The locations of those columns are now marked by concentric rings on the floor of the Grand Lobby and in the reflecting pools outside the entrance to the new wing.
The former South Gate of Hokoji is bisected by a north-south axis that runs straight through the current South Gate of the museum and on to the Great South Gate of Sanjusangendo Temple. This axis thus links three gates whose history stretches back over 800 years and recalls an ancient pilgrimage path between Sanjusangendo to the south and the Great Buddha Hall that formerly stood at Hokoji to the north.
The Chishinkan Wing was designed by architect Taniguchi Yoshio (born 1937) who was also responsible for the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures at the Tokyo National Museum, and the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art, among other celebrated buildings.
The award-winning design is based on the conception of an “open” museum, which is reflected in its airy spaces created by the raised ceilings of the Grand Lobby and Entrance Hall that allow soft natural light to penetrate and envelop the interior. In contrast, the exhibition galleries and storage facilities are designed to protect the art with double walls that shut out natural light.
The linear theme of the design predominated by straight lines gives the building a sleek, ultramodern feel, but the eaves, lattices, and other details are reminiscent of the simple, uncluttered lines of classic Japanese architecture.
Among the features of the new wing are a seismic-isolation system, a lecture theater featuring state-of-the art audio visual facilities, ultra-clear glass display cases, and a carefully designed, innovative LED lighting system.