Kengo Kuma’s design for cultural museum in the Philippines evokes prehistoric cave feel

The Philippine archipelago has been inhabited for millennia, and what better way is there to exhibit the country’s ancient history than starting from the Neolithic age?

That was the logic behind Kengo Kuma’s design for the forthcoming Museum of Indigenous Knowledge in Manila, the bustling capital of The Philippines and also its second largest city. According to Fast Company, visitors are “ushered past a cascading waterfall and tropical garden” upon entering the museum, likening it to the set of blockbuster classic "Jurassic Park."

“The theme of this museum is to offer its visitors an experience of the Philippines’ cultural heritage, starting from the Neolithic age. Based on its concept, we aim to build a natural and organic museum by combining water and green in the cave-shaped space, contrary to the image of museums as closed boxes,” the firm said in a statement.

Fast Company says the new museum would add “a lush new oasis into a dense [urban] environment.”