Kengo Kuma Completes a Monumental Building Clad in 3,600 Handmade Tiles

Katherine McLaughlin
·2 min read

Photo: Eiichi Kano. Courtesy of Kengo Kuma and Associates

In a tasteful exploration of both people and place, Kengo Kuma and Associates have completed UCCA Clay Museum, a 37,000-square-foot structure clad in 3,600 handmade tiles. “Rather than constructing a building based on industrial mass production, we intentionally focused on materials and details that convey the marks of the hand and warmth of craftsmanship,” Yutaka Terasaki, a partner at Kengo Kuma and Associates, recently told Dezeen.

Each tile was handmade. The colors are meant to emulate pottery as it’s being fired.
Each tile was handmade. The colors are meant to emulate pottery as it’s being fired.
Photo: Eiichi Kano. Courtesy of Kengo Kuma and Associates

Located in Yixing, China, the building’s silhouette is a subtle nod to the surrounding environment; the distinct peaks inspired by the nearby Shushan mountain. Meanwhile, the cladding pays homage to the city’s rich history as the “ceramic capital” of China and its notable pottery production. Each tile was handmade by local artisans and range in hue to reflect the way pottery changes colors as it is fired. “This ceramic panel façade became something that each person involved could say, ‘I made this.’ That is important for an art museum in a regional city like this,” Terasaki added. The firm also asked local children to carve designs onto some of the tiles in an effort to engage them in the city’s history.

Small ponds encircle the areas in which the tiles extend all the way to the ground.
Small ponds encircle the areas in which the tiles extend all the way to the ground.
Photo: Eiichi Kano. Courtesy of Kengo Kuma and Associates

In addition to the Shushan mountain, the building’s shape was inspired by dragon kilns, a type of traditional Chinese kiln often built on a slope that is long and slim, similar to a dragon’s body. The tile cladding extends to the ground floor, where semi-circular cutouts allow access into the building. Outside, visitors can also walk under large bamboo-lined arches, which ensure views of the nearby canal are not obstructed.

The building is also designed to resemble a mound of clay.
The building is also designed to resemble a mound of clay.
Photo: Eiichi Kano. Courtesy of Kengo Kuma and Associates

A wood lattice framework supports the roof. “This light yet strong wooden structure brings dynamic changes to the interior space and draws the line of sight and circulation flow deeper into the building,” the firm explains in the project’s description. Inside, the museum’s inaugural exhibition, “The Ways of Clay: Select Award-Winning Works from the International Ceramics Festival Mino of the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Gifu, Japan,” is on display through February 2025.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

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