The Architectural Characteristics of the Garden of Fine Art Designed by Tadao Ando and Relationship between Art Works and Architectural Space

Purpose: The Garden of Fine Art designed by Tadao Ando is located in Kyoto, Japan. It is an outdoor museum, appreciating fine arts in the nature with surrounding trees, water, wind, and sound. It provides a unique experience of enjoying masterpieces while walking through a living garden and feeling five senses. This study contains an interpretation of the correlation between the architectural space composition and arts for the exhibition. Method: First of all, the theoretical understanding of critical regionalism is preceded to analyze this museum from the perspective of critical regionalism. The museum is directly explored, investigated, and studied based on practical experiences of space. By researching drawings of floor plans and sections, related previous studies, and book materials, the architectural characteristics of this building are analyzed and represented in diagrams according to categories. Result: The Garden of Fine Art reinterprets Japan’s unique traditional garden culture to create a space for art exhibition and resting garden in the city. First, art works are appreciated on the different floor levels along with the path of museum and it provides diverse feeling and fresh stimulation. Second, the impression of the art works is strengthened in the outdoor exhibition garden with nature. Water in this museum does not stagnate but flows downwards, guiding the movement of visitors. The openings of walls and structure without ceiling capture the surrounding trees and natural light. Third, walls has not only the structural role, but also the effect of focusing on art works like a picture frame.