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Arata Isozaki

I first met Andrzej Wajda in Tokyo, in 1987, and he introduced me to his idea of the building of the Centre of Japanese Art and Technology in Kraków. His long-time fascination with Japanese art has made me understand why his films have a strong impact on us, namely the Japanese, despite the distance between our countries.
When I visited Kraków later, in order to select the location for the future Centre, we decided that the best place would be one opposite the Wawel Castle, on the other side of the Vistula River. In this way, the view of the mammoth Wawel Hill and the architectural structure of the Centre could complement each other in the most splendid way without disturbing the unique ancient aura of the landscape.
Several "waves" which follow the shape of the river provide the profile of the roof. The walls of the edifice are finished with Polish sandstone. Inside, in keeping with the local tradition, I used wood composition and brick. I wanted the building to plant its roots in Polish soil - the way Jasieński's collection has extended far beyond the area of Japanese art.
Arata Isozaki architect author of the project of Manggha Centre/Museum