February 2021

The Sendai Mediatheque was a case study that was analyzed during the Contemporary Architectural Design Theory course lead by Professor Alberto Bologna. The course was carried out in three modules, which were designed to breakdown the case studies assigned and redraw and recreate the building. The three modules follow the Vitruvian Triad: firmitas, utilitas, and venustas. In addition to this redrawing of the Sendai Mediatheque through the lens of the Vitruvian Triad, the building, we developed an essay following the research question:

 

How does Toyo Ito & Associates achieve the desired transparency for the citizens of Sendai? How Does Toyo Ito & Associates incorporate this ideology into the spatial compositions of the structure while also responding to the urban fabric?

 

Toyo Ito effortlessly portrays a complex design approach by using three basic elements: tubes, plates, and skin that lends itself perfectly to the analysis of the building through the Vitruvian Triad. The tubes, or firmitas, create a seismically resistant and transparent structure. The thin floor plates suspended by the thirteen tubes reduce redundant structural elements and create a sense of floating within the space. Within the tubes also act as the servant spaces, housing mechanical elements as well as the vertical circulation. This allows the plates, or the utilitas, to be completely open and free flowing spaces. The flow and function of each plate is dictated not by permanent partitions, but instead strategically placed furniture. This gives the Mediatheque a swirling and unobstructed circulation. Finally, the skin, or the venustas, not only responds to the demand of transparency but also responds to the surrounding context. Glass is the predominant material; however, semi-opaque or completely opaque facade materials are used to maintain a level of privacy for the surrounding residential buildings. While the subtle ornamentation seems to recede into the building, it is the simple execution of the venustas that elevates the entire experience of the Sendai Mediatheque. By designing a predominantly glass exterior, Toyo Ito fulfills the desire for openness and transparency outlined by the city, as well as creating a luminous interior space that transitions seamlessly from day to night.

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This project was developed in collaboration with Arushi Agarwal, Chinmay Chowdhary, and Daria Kopishynska.