"The Edo-Tokyo Museum has reopened to the public following a multi-year renovation, unveiling a series of scenographic interventions and installations designed by OMA under the direction of Shohei Shigematsu. Marking the firm's first public project in Japan, the commission forms part of the broader renewal of the museum's iconic building by Metabolist architect Kiyonori Kikutake. Originally opened in 1993 as the first museum dedicated to the history of Tokyo, the institution traces the city's evolution from the Edo period to the present day, and the new interventions aim to strengthen its relationship with contemporary audiences while preserving the identity of Kikutake's architecture."
"Rather than introducing significant physical alterations to the building, OMA's proposal focuses on activating underused spaces through projection, lighting, signage, and scenographic elements. The project seeks to improve accessibility, clarify circulation, and create a more visible public presence for the museum within the city. This approach extends to the entrance sequences, where new marquees and wayfinding elements respond to pedestrian movement from nearby transit lines while reinterpreting motifs connected to both the museum and Japanese architectural culture."
"At the west entrance, visitors move through a sequence of gates inspired by traditional Japanese torii, referencing an earlier concept developed by Kikutake for the site. On the east side, a circular sign recalls the museum's logo, itself derived from the eye depicted in a historic ukiyo-e portrait. Inside the museum, the interventions continue across the sixth-floor galleries, where immersive projections have been integrated into the exhibition spaces."
"Panoramic moving images are projected onto curved screens and vertical louvers, surrounding life-size and scaled architectural models with changing skies and atmospheric urban scenes. By extending across walls and suspended surfaces, the projections create spatial continui"
The Edo-Tokyo Museum reopened after a multi-year renovation with scenographic interventions and installations designed by OMA. The work is the firm’s first public project in Japan and is part of a broader renewal of the museum building by Metabolist architect Kiyonori Kikutake. The renovation preserves the building’s architectural identity while strengthening connections to contemporary audiences. Instead of major physical alterations, the proposal activates underused areas through projection, lighting, signage, and scenographic elements. The interventions improve accessibility, clarify circulation, and increase the museum’s visibility in the city. Entrance sequences use new marquees and wayfinding responsive to pedestrian movement, including torii-inspired gates and a circular sign tied to the museum logo. Inside, immersive projections surround models and galleries with changing skies and urban atmospheres.
#museum-renovation #scenographic-projections #wayfinding-and-signage #japanese-architectural-motifs #edo-tokyo-history
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