SANAA Architecture
Kazuyo Sejima, born 1956
Ryue Nishizawa, born 1966
Winner of 2010 Pritzker Prize
The unit featuring Sejima and Nishizawa was formed in 1995. Sejima had prior experience working under Toyo Ito.
The duo is also known for designing chairs, like the ones seen in the photo.
Dior Omotesando (2003)
The building is surrounded by transparent glass, which glows in white after dark.
Unlike most of the other SANNA projects, the team only got to work on the exterior design; the
interior is primarily designed by NY-based Peter Marino.
JR Hitachi Station (2011)
Hitachi is the hometown for Sejima and the team has done quite a number of works in this city. The station is next to the Pacific Ocean and offers excellent views from the large glass windows. The JR company has produced some very boring looking stations in recent years, but this is one of the few exception.
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa (2004)
Surrounded by glass and circular in shape, the museum aims to be an open facility for all.
The idea of a contemporary art museum in a historic city was met with criticism at first, but now it has grown to become a popular attraction receiving 25 million visitors annually.
The duo has also taken part individually in many more projects. Here are a few:
Nakamachi Terrace (Sejima, 2015)
A library and community hall for the city of Kodaira in the western suburbs of Tokyo. The slanted curtain walls are a feature seen in other works by Sejima; I personally question its usability.
Location: 145 Nakamachi, Kodaira city. *10 min from Kodaira Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line
Sumida Hokusai Museum (Sejima, 2016)
A museum featuring a large collection of woodblock prints by Katsushika Hokusai, who was born in this area. Because of its design and since it is not a very large facility, it lacks the capacity to handle big crowds. It's been awhile since the opening, so the congestion does not seem to be a major problem now.
Location: 2-7-2 Kamezawa, Sumida-ku Tokyo
"Laview" train for Seibu Railways (Sejima, 2018)
The rounded nose and the supersized windows are quite a difference from conventional trains running in the country. The new trains run regularly between Ikebukuro and Chichibu, west of Tokyo. Seibu Rail eventually plans to replace all of their express trains with these new ones.
Towada Art Center (Nishizawa, 2008)
Following the major success of the 21st Century Museum in Kanazawa, Nishizawa designed another museum focusing on contemporary art in Towada city, Aomori. The nearest Shinkansen stop is Hachinohe, and a further 40 minutes by bus.