Cisternerne X Sambuichi: The Water

In 2017 the ambitious exhibition in The Cisterns will be a journey through an underground sea of light and darkness, when the internationally acknowledged Japanese architect Hiroshi Sambuichi modifies the monumental halls. The Water is Sambuichis first major exhibition outside Japan

Sambuichi utilises the details and natural phenomena of the Earth as building materials. His buildings give form to the character and hidden qualities of a specific place. The accumulation of ice on surrounding tree branches can dictate the structure of a building, and the direction of the wind can inform the format and function of a roof. Instead of creating a physical boundary between nature and architecture, he creates a symbiosis.

The architecture of Sambuichi is driven by the forces of nature, and his low-tech approach has become an admirable example of how to inhabit the Earth in a sustainable way and how to face the global challenges of the 21st century.

Sambuichi has scrutinized the depths of The Cisterns and the changing expression of the surrounding park, Søndermarken, through the changing seasons. This March, the numerous investigations take form as a wondrous art installation. Once again water will fill the former water reservoir. Natural daylight will find its way and plants will grow in a climate characterized by a high level of CO2. When crossing the underground sea, the visitor will walk on an interpretation of the Japanese Itsukushima Shrine on the island of Miyajima.

In accordance with the working method of Sambuichi, the opening hours of the exhibition will vary with the length of day. During winter, the exhibition will close as the sun sets at 3pm and during the brightest summer months The Cisterns will stay open until 8pm. 

The exhibition is part of the official celebration in 2017 of the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Denmark and Japan.