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2013 photos
Kyoto, Japan, Train Station

Japan's second-largest station building (after Nagoya Station) and is one of the country's largest buildings, under one 15-story roof.

The current Kyōto Station opened in 1997 (built 1990-97), commemorating Kyoto's 1,200th anniversary. Architecturally, it exhibits many characteristics of futurism, with a slightly irregular cubic facade of plate glass over a steel frame. The architect was Hiroshi Hara.

Kyoto is one of the least modern cities in Japan by virtue of its many cultural heritage sites, and was largely reluctant to accept such an ambitious structure in the mid-1990s.

Futurist architecture is an early-20th century form of architecture born in Italy, characterized by anti-historicism, strong chromaticism, long dynamic lines, suggesting speed, motion, urgency and lyricism.
 It includes amazing shapes with dynamic lines and sharp contrasts, and the use of technologically advanced materials. The futurist architecture created since 1960 may be termed post-modern futurism.

The Kyoto Train Station structure has a fluidity of space, intriguing discontinuities of scale, open roof lines and a dark futuristic quality.

"The station has been described as 'a stunning combination of soaring glass and steel and with colossal public spaces.' " - Architravel (online March 2014)


The Matrix: the exposed steel beamed roof.
One of the features is the undulating wavy construction of the curved glass and steel roof over the station platforms. The station plays host to one of the greatest monumental spaces inside modern buildings.

The enormity of the construction is underlined by the giant escalator system that takes the passenger up nine storeys from the huge, 60m-high atrium over the main concourse, up to the roof



The station's large main hall with its exposed steel beamed roof, called the Matrix, is meant to reflect both the structure of the station and the grid like layout of Kyoto's street network.



The Matrix: the exposed steel beamed roof






The Matrix: the exposed steel beamed roof






The grand staircase of the station has 171 steps and is used to host events such as live concerts and comedy shows at weekends. The station building plays host to a lot of facilities and activities and has formed a multi-functional space in Kyoto.



Grand staircase



Grand staircase



Grand staircase



Grand staircase



Grand staircase






Third story



Second and third stories




First, second and third stories






First story



First story



First story outside entrance



Photos and their arrangement © 2013 Chuck LaChiusa
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