The Ogasawara Museum was one of their first projects together, begun in 1995 and completed in 1999. Built on an isolated plateau on the side of a mountain, the site is an important heritage site where a castle from the 14th and 15th centuries once stood. The building’s shape follows the contours of the land, and is raised off the ground to keep the remains of the castle in sight, and also minimizes problems with rising damp from the ground. The entrance is from a square and ramp to a large lobby with a large window that frames the castle remains. Exhibition rooms and service area are in line with the lobby.
(Media Kit announcing the 2010 Pritzker architecture Prize Laureate)