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Portland Japanese Garden to Partner with Kengo Kuma Again: Acclaimed Architect Will Design Jewel of New Japan Institute Campus

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Kengo Kuma attending the opening gala for the Cultural Village in 2017. Photo by Jonathan Ley.

Portland, ORE. — April 8, 2022 — Portland Japanese Garden is delighted to announce that it will once again partner with internationally acclaimed architect Kengo Kuma to refresh part its new Japan Institute campus. Kuma, one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2021, designed the award-winning Cultural Crossing expansion for Portland Japanese Garden in 2017, which marked his first public project in North America.

Portland Japanese Garden, a nonprofit cultural organization known for its beautiful and serene garden spaces, is taking an evolutionary step forward. To help realize its vision of being a leading voice for cultural understanding, in pursuit of a more peaceful, sustainable world, the Garden has purchased a new property to house The Japan Institute. The Japan Institute will offer innovative programs, global collaborations, and experiential education for students of all ages.

Designed by A.E. Doyle, this administrative building dates back to 1914 and is the oldest on the Japan Institute campus. Photo by Portland Japanese Garden.

The Japan Institute will be located just three miles away from Portland Japanese Garden in a leafy, three-acre respite near Forest Park. This campus, owned by the Salvation Army until it was purchased by the Garden this spring, is comprised of four buildings built between 1914 and 1965 and features the work of legendary Portland architect A.E. Doyle.

An aging chapel that will be redesigned by Kengo Kuma and Bullseye Glass. Photo by Portland Japanese Garden.

For this new endeavor, Kuma and his team will partner with Portland-based Bullseye Glass Company to work in art glass for the first time in his illustrious career. Together, Kuma and Bullseye will transform what is currently an aging chapel into an auditorium and performance center.


“Kengo Kuma & Associates have been such good friends to Portland Japanese Garden” says CEO Steve Bloom. “Kuma-san’s designs masterfully intersect nature and architecture which both complement and showcase our programming. We are thrilled to welcome him and his talented team back to create the ‘jewel’ of the new Japan Institute campus!”

Construction will begin after the permitting process has concluded. Portland Japanese Garden has retained landscape architects Walker Macy to reimagine this campus. Walker Macy collaborated with Kengo Kuma to bring the Cultural Crossing expansion to life in 2017.

More Information:
Media Contacts:    

Will Lerner | 503-542-9351 | [email protected]

About Portland Japanese Garden:  

Portland Japanese Garden is a nonprofit organization originally founded in 1963 as a place for cross-cultural understanding following World War II. A hallmark in the City of Portland, the Garden was founded on the ideals of peace and mutual understanding between peoples and cultures. Portland Japanese Garden is considered the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan and the foremost Japanese cultural organization in North America.