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Architectural model museum opens in Japan

A museum-cum-archive dedicated to architectural models has opened in Tokyo, complete with miniature buildings designed by Kengo Kuma, Shigeru Ban and Nikken Sekkei among others.

The Archi-Depot arranges its models in rooms with 5.2m high ceilings containing more than a hundred storage shelves.

Each shelf is set up with lighting that accentuates the architectural model from all four directions. The aisles in between shelves are dimly lighted to create the illusion of the architectural models arising from the vast museum space.

Visitors can access photos and blueprints of each model by scanning a code.

Mark Dytham, co-founder of Klein Dytham Architecture, said: "Most architects have a store room full of lovely models that no one gets to see. But the situation is worse in offices in Japan, where space is really at a premium.

"Here you rent a set of tall shelves, display your models on the lower shelves, and store the boxes and cases on the upper shelves. Hey presto, an instant architectural model museum with works by most of Japan’s leading architects."

Images via Archi-Depot

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