Chichu Art Museum: Tadao Ando's Underground Design
Chapter 1

Master of light and concrete

Chapter 2

Seoul's architectural trifecta at Leeum

Chapter 3

Naoshima and the island of art

Chapter 4

The philosophy of space in Korea and Japan

YOUR GOAL

Master of Masterpieces of stone and light

Ch 1 · Master of light and concrete
choko
Glossary
museum san (noun)
A peaceful art museum nestled in the mountains of South Korea, designed by architect Tadao Ando to seamlessly blend minimalist concrete with natural light and water. It serves as a stunning sanctuary where the architecture itself becomes a canvas, showing us how heavy, cold stone can feel warm, light, and alive when paired with nature.
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4d ago

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choko Tadao Ando

Buried in the earth, the concrete opens up to the sky.

Sep 1

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choko The magic of the water garden

Sep 1

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A perfect water mirror requires a dark, light-absorbing base instead of a reflective one.

choko Shallow garden water over dark stone gravel reflects the crisp mountain peaks.

4d ago

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Tadao Ando buried his concrete masterpiece to protect the Seto Inland Sea National Park.

choko Natural light pours from above into the underground galleries of Chichu Art Museum.

4d ago

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Little Sky Frames
BETA

choko Align each sky frame to discover how Korean and Japanese museums turn nature into art.

Sep 1

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Fun Fact

Underground museum: Chichu Art Museum is built entirely underground so it doesn't disrupt the scenic national park landscape of Naoshima.

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Sep 1

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Glossary
concrete (noun)
A hard, strong building material made by mixing a cementing material with sand, gravel, and water. Architect Tadao Ando used exposed slabs of this material to build South Korea's Museum SAN in 2013.

Sep 1

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Gossip

Which light source makes art look the most beautiful?

Sep 1

choko
Quiz

What material is Tadao Ando famous for using, polished to feel remarkably smooth?

Sep 1

choko

choko The concrete poet Tadao Ando

Sep 1

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Chichu and the underground sanctuary

choko Chichu Art Museum is built entirely underground on Naoshima Island, Japan.

Sep 1

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Museum SAN in the Korean mountains

choko Museum SAN sits on a mountain ridge in Wonju, South Korea.

Sep 1

choko
Quiz

Which Impressionist painter has a dedicated, naturally lit underground gallery in Japan's Chichu Art Museum?

Sep 1

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choko Museum SAN in the Korean mountains

Sep 1

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Quiz

In what year did Museum SAN first open its doors to the public in South Korea?

Sep 1

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choko Chichu and the underground sanctuary

Sep 1

choko
Quiz

What unique design choice did Tadao Ando make for Chichu Art Museum to protect Naoshima's natural landscape?

Sep 1

choko
Quiz

Who is the self-taught Japanese architect who designed both Chichu Art Museum and Museum SAN?

Sep 1

choko
Quiz

What is placed at the bottom of Museum SAN's water garden to create a perfect mirror effect?

Sep 1