Photo Credit: Alena Hanzlová, Sanaa Zollverein school 1, CC BY-SA 3.0
Celebrated for her works’ ethereal qualities, minimalist aesthetics and innovative use of space and materials, Kazuyo Sejima is a Pritzker-Prize winning architect who is elevating the boundaries of modern architecture.
Let’s dive into some of Sejima’s influential works and see how her designs seamlessly blend interior and exterior spaces.
The History and Style of Kazuyo Sejima
In 1995, Kazuyo Sejima co-founded the firm Sejima and Nishizawa and Associates (SANAA), marking a pivotal point in her career. SANAA’s architectural style is instantly recognizable by its reimagining of traditional structures. Their designs favor openness, fluidity and transparency that allows natural light to play a crucial role in the interior environment.
By using lightweight materials such as glass and aluminum and simple geometric forms, SANAA’s works are unique, but create a sense of serenity and harmony with their surroundings.
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa (2004)
Photo Credit: pat_ong from Perth, Interior, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, CC BY 2.0
The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art is a prime example of SANAA’s signature style. One of the most striking aspects of the museum is its departure from traditional museum design. The circular layout means there is no conventional “front and back”, making the building approachable and welcoming from all directions.
The extensive use of glass walls further enhances the feeling of connection, blurring the line between inside and outside, and inviting the surrounding park into the museum. This transparency creates a sense of openness and encourages exploration, with galleries flowing into each other without rigid divisions.
The circular design and glass walls also maximize daylight, creating an ever-changing atmosphere as the sun moves across the sky. The varying ceiling heights in the galleries allow for different levels of light penetration, resulting in a dynamic and engaging experience.
New Museum, New York (2007)
Photo Credit: MusikAnimal, New Museum in New York City 2015, CC BY-SA 4.0
Referred to as the “Miracle on the Bowery”, the New Museum in New York City is an example of Sejima’s innovative approach to urban architecture. The building appears as a stack of offset rectangular boxes, outlined with aluminum mesh that catches and reflects the light of the surrounding city.
Sejima’s design maximizes natural light, with the layered box architecture creating a series of setbacks and terraces that allow daylight to flood the interior. This not only enhances the viewing experience of the artwork but also offers stunning views of the city. The building’s stacked structure produces a series of unique gallery spaces, each with its own character and proportions.
The interior spaces are characterized by a sense of openness and fluidity and the galleries are column-free, providing unobstructed views. The New Museum is a testament to Sejima’s ability to create a building that is both a striking urban landmark and a flexible, light-filled space for the exhibition of contemporary art.
Shaping Future Spaces
Sejima’s impact on contemporary architecture is undeniable. Her work has helped to redefine the relationship between buildings and their surroundings, emphasizing transparency, lightness and a sense of fluidity.
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