Veins of Knowledge: The Cave

Project idea

“Veins of Knowledge: The Cave” is a redevelopment proposal for the Kyoto University Museum. It spatially represents the vast background system of research and documentation—referred to as "veins of knowledge"—that supports each exhibit. By penetrating the museum with icicle-like forms containing and surrounding different types of exhibition spaces, the project systematizes both exhibits and their underlying processes. Visitors navigate freely, turning the act of learning into a spatial adventure through the “cave” of academic inquiry.

Project description

The project encompasses five academic fields: botany, entomology, mineralogy, geology, and paleontology. It organizes three types of exhibition spaces—comprehensive, specialized, and integrated—within and around the icicle structures. By connecting the old and new wings with a central grand staircase, the museum becomes a public node between the university campus and the city. The non-linear circulation encourages self-guided exploration, making knowledge discovery an active, personalized experience.

Technical information

Technically, the icicle structures act as both architectural supports and multi-functional cores housing exhibitions, laboratories, and educational functions. Their form and role vary across floors, integrating facilities such as specimen preparation rooms and DNA analysis labs. The original building is partially deconstructed and repurposed into flexible spaces for lectures, cafés, and community events. This design bridges knowledge, culture, and civic engagement both physically and symbolically.

Documentation

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