WINDOW RESEARCH INSTITUTE

The gradated purple mosaic exterior tiles are a surprising sight as one approaches this building, which is tucked away on a small hill removed from the main roads branching from Tokoname Station. Its entrance, lined with glass blocks with purple-painted edges, is bathed in a purplish light that ties together the experience across the interior and exterior. The geometric penthouse on the roof functions as a skylight. Its fluted glass windows capture sunlight, which is then reflected off the underside of the roof and diffused into the gallery as a matte glow through light louvers. Horiguchi’s creativity is evident in the resolution of the second-story window that begins in the Japanese-style room and continues into the adjoining meeting room, spanning the full bay between the reinforced concrete columns. Particularly interesting is how three of the window’s four sliding glass doors align with the shōji door of the Japanese-style room, while the width of the tsukimidai [moon-viewing platform] outside aligns not with the Japanese-style room but with the bay.