| Preservation and Renovation of the Historic Building |
In renovating the early twentieth-century building to house the International Library of Children’s Literature, the NDL sought to preserve the design and structure that is the legacy of an earlier era, while refurbishing the building using earthquake-resistant structures to minimize damage in a major earthquake.
Meet the World (the former VIP room), Researcher’s Reading Room 2 (the former Special Reading Room), Museum (the former Reading Room), and the Grand Staircase were preserved as examples of historic architecture after being restored.
The architectures of three different eras (Meiji, Showa and Heisei) are united and renovated as a children’s library, which preserves its value as architectural heritage as well as developing a new function and providing a new environment for the public.
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| Outline of the Facilities |
| Site |
Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo |
| Structure |
Brick building reinforced by steel frame; extensions are reinforced concrete |
| Size |
One floor underground, three floors above ground |
| Ground area |
5,433.76 square meters |
| Total floor area |
6,671.63 square meters (According to the Building Standard Law) |
| Storage capacity |
Approximately 400,000 volumes |
| Design and management |
Kanto Regional Development Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport
Tadao Ando Architect & Associates Co. Ltd.
Nikken Sekkei Co. Ltd. |
| Preservation instructor |
Katsuhiko Sakamoto, professor emeritus of Kobe Design University |
| Builder |
Konoike Construction Co. Ltd. |
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