How Mito, a Small Low-Rise City, Found Its Landmark Through the Vision of Arata Isozaki

Pritzker Prize-winning architect Arata Isozaki designed the Art Tower Mito cultural complex to commemorate the city’s centennial in 1990. He drew inspiration from the idea of an infinitely rising tower and Constantin Brâncuși's Endless Column — shown in the last photo, Romania. The result was a structure made of 28 tetrahedrons (triangular pyramids) stacked at varying angles. Inside, the complex houses a concert hall, theater, and contemporary art gallery.

This project was the first in Japan to use such a large number of titanium panels. Titanium is a strong yet lightweight material with high resistance to corrosion and weathering, making it ideal for creating long-lasting structures. However, due to its high cost, it had rarely been used in Japanese architecture. Isozaki’s decision to experiment and build the tower from titanium inspired other Japanese architects to incorporate titanium into their designs.

Name: Art Tower Mito / 水戸芸術館
City: Mito, Ibaraki prefecture
Address: view the address
Architect: Arata Isozaki
Year: 1990


(c)2024 Zarina Abacheva / All Rights Reserved