EXHIBITION SITE
GRAN VIA, BARCELONA

The first large-scale project I undertook after becoming independent was this exhibition site in Barcelona, which can boast to be one of the largest in Europe. The project, which entailed extending the existing pavilions, and carrying out major reforms such as the flow-line sections, exterior and landscaping, bore an important social significance not just for architecture but also from the viewpoint of urban planning. The vast site is so large that just to walk from one end to the other takes a matter of hours. It was also a long-term plan, and actually, some places are still in progress.

Amid the repeated adjustments that resulted while conforming to Catalonia’s regulations which I was not familiar with, the concept that I tried not to lose sight of was lighting that expressed a charm of a “beautiful wave.” In order to accentuate beautiful curved lines and fresh white that Mr Toyo Ito had designed using the Mediterranean Sea as a motif, I inserted blue light in the intervals of the two-layer facade and shone pure white light on the surface to express a thickness that invoked a gradation that continued from the crest of the wave head to the adjacent waters. For the landscape sections, I did my best to reach a conciliation that satisfied both my sense of aesthetic unity and the lighting level standards by adding accents such as fountains and pagodas, introducing curving lampposts and making organic patterns with their positioning. In the corridors that can be described as interior “main axis line” that pass through the entire site, I aimed to create the image of promenade that was enjoyable transitional spaces by positioning downlights to draw two wave shapes. Upon the completion of the first stage of construction, which included the main entrance hall, a grand ceremony, attended by the Crown Prince of Spain, was held, signifying the national importance of the project. For this project, I received my first award from the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), giving me confirmation that my own design policies were not mistaken.