Sendai Mediatheque

Originally inspired by the image of floating seaweed, Toyo Ito's multi-purpose cultural centre, the Sendai Mediatheque, is a structure both transparent and light. Thirteen steel tubular lattice structures penetrate the design and carry the weight of the 15.75 inch thin floor slabs on each of seven floors, giving the building the impression of being suspended in mid-air. Light is central to the Mediatheque's appearance: when not flooded by daylight, the structure glows artifically from within. Located in Sendai, Japan, the Mediatheque houses a library, art gallery, audio-visual library, film studio, and cafa, and was the subject of an architectural competition in which Ito's was the winning entry. This publication documents the structure's design, construction, and current use.