Corbusier came to Japan in 1955 and stayed there for eight days. He looked at the site where the museum to exhibit the MATSUKATA COLLECTION was going to be built.
The collection consisted of western artworks collected by mr. Matsukata, an important business person of Japan in those days. Part of the collection kept in France was confiscated by the French government as enemy asset after the Second World War was over but as a result of diplomatic effort, was to be returned or PRESENTED to Japan with some conditions.
One important condition was to build a museum suitable to exhibit the returned paintings and sculptures. Le Corbusier was approached as an architect of the new museum. He came to Japan, looked at the planned construction site, and later sent in the blueprints. In practice his three students including Maekawa was in charge of realizing the museum proposed by Corbusier.
The Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, designed by Maekawa and opened in 1961, stands in front of the museum. It was built for opera and ballet performance but also commemorated the 500th anniversary of the city after the first castle was built in present-day Tokyo by OTA Dokan. Such complex for cultural activities was part of the plan proposed by Corbusier but given up due to financial straits. Later it came into being in a different way. The mentor and the student now see each other through their buildings.
The green walls of the new wing
Bunka Kaikan whose large glass windows reflect autumn color in ueno park
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