An exhibition on the architectural work of Azusa Kito, an architect who worked on numerous libraries in the decades between the 1960s and ’90s, is currently open. Kito was born in Tokyo in 1926 and studied Architecture at Tokyo Imperial University (now known as the University of Tokyo). After he graduated, he worked for Mayekawa Kunio Associates (now known as Mayekawa Associates, Architects & Engineers). In 1964 he went independent, and since then worked on the plans for over thirty libraries across Japan, including Tokyo Keizai University Library (1968), Hino City Central Library (1973), and Sumoto City Library (1998).

Kito, who spent his younger years in the tumultuous period after the war when Tokyo was still heavily damaged, believed that libraries were the “base of operations for daily life.” He aimed to create public spaces where people who lived in the area could access information equally. He worked hard to create libraries that would easily integrate themselves into their local area, working on the design of the bookshelves and other furniture as well as creating reading rooms with a lot of natural light and which had open stacks.
Kito was a pioneer of library architecture. Head to the exhibition to explore his architectural work through his original plans, photographs of the buildings he worked on, and models specially made for this exhibition.

Architectural Works by Azusa Kito, Towards Architecture of the Public Library based on Democracy
Dates: 22 March – 10 June, 2023 (Closed on Sundays and public holidays) 
10:00 – 17:00 (Last entry at 16:30)
Venue: Museum and Archives, Kyoto Institute of Technology (Hashigami-cho Matsugasaki Sakyo-ku Kyoto-shi Kyoto)
Price: General admission 200 yen, college students 150 yen, free for high school students and younger
https://www.museum.kit.ac.jp/20230322k.html

Photo: Museum and Archives, Kyoto Institute of Technology