Kengo Kuma's 2024 extension of Lisbon's Centro de Arte Moderna Gulbenkian is a poetic fusion of Japanese and Portuguese elements, emphasizing connection, nature, and the fluid relationship between architecture and landscape.
Kengo Kuma's extension of the Centro de Arte Moderna Gulbenkian in Lisbon is a stunning synthesis of Japanese architectural principles with Portuguese materials and sensibilities. Marked by the sweeping, wood-clad canopy, the design reinvigorates the 1983 structure by British architect Leslie Martin, expanding and brightening it while re-integrating the building into its surrounding landscape and urban context. Kuma's focus on creating "engawa" spaces—traditional Japanese corridors that act as transitional zones between the interior and exterior—captures the essence of connection, not only between the museum and its gardens but also between the institution and the broader city.
The new structure's most iconic feature is its 107-meter-long canopy, which hovers over visitors like a ship at port. Ash wood and ceramic tiles, materials shared by both Japanese and Portuguese architectural traditions, reference centuries of cultural exchange between the two nations. By rooting his design in these elements, Kuma creates a site where architectural history and nature coalesce. As visitors meander through the garden, the carefully integrated walkways, benches, and subtle landscape design by Vladimir Djurovic invite a deep engagement with the environment. This interplay between architecture and landscape reflects Kuma's belief that a museum should be an experience of harmony with nature, rather than merely a container for art.
Internally, Kuma’s interventions have made the museum more open and inviting, with glass facades drawing light into the once-monolithic spaces. The double-height foyer, linked to the surrounding gardens, acts as a luminous entry point, encouraging the free flow of movement and ideas. Key to the success of this design is how well it bridges the museum’s past with its future. The integration of natural materials and open spaces creates a harmonious experience that transcends cultural and geographical boundaries, making the museum a model for what a future art space could be: a vessel for connection, both physical and metaphysical.
