A gallery tour in Tokyo

Last week I visited some galleries and a museum in Tokyo. In this article, I'll write about a few things that impressed me during the tour.


NEZU MUSEUM : National Treasure Nachi Waterfall and Representations of Nature
This museum designed by Kengo Kuma was reopened one month ago. The building was great. I felt, Kuma succeeded in realizing New Japan Style that makes old traditional form by using modern material. The exhibition was also interesting. Especially 豆青釉印花龍鳳文盤 and 瑠璃地白花木蓮文盤 were really impressive.

GALLERY MA : Kengo Kuma Studies in Organic
Near the NEZU MUSWUM, GALLERY MA held an exhibition featuring Kengo Kuma. He said "I want to escape from the abstract and aspire to the organic." and "we discover a characteristic material and are drawn irresistibly into a journey-like sequence, a process by which that material, after a hard-fought, tortuous struggle, generates a certain whole" . There were many kinds of projects and variety of models in the exhibition. However I couldn't find any common design elements in his design. I felt he was trying to find the specific character of each project and give it most suitable form. I thought this attitude was "organic".

21_21 DESIGN SIGHT : THE OUTLINE
In this exhibition, Naoto Fukasawa who is a very famous industrial designer tried a unique way to introduce his works. He gave each of his products a big picture taken Tamotsu Fujii. Fujii's pictures were very amazing. His pictures showed me new aspect of Fukasawa's product that I never imagined even if the product was really small and had a simple shape.
But I felt there was room for improvement about the organization of the site.
Because we could see a picture and product at the same time. So, how the picture was imaginative, I didn't have room to enjoy it with my imagination.

House and Atelier Bow-Wow

Two weeks ago, I visited a building called "House and Atelier Bow-Wow" designed by Atelier Bow-Wow in Tokyo. The building had its residential area and work space uniquely coexisting under one roof.



The  building  was  four  stories, office on the basement and first floor, residential area on the third and fourth area. The way I've put it may make it seem like a simple building, but between each floor there were a space too big to call staircase landing. And those unique platforms functioned as an entrance, a storage and audio space. With the exception of the bedroom, no floor had  any partitions. So, it seems like the building had eight stories.



This uniquely structured building was also situated on a very unusual location. The site was "L" shaped. The building didn't face the road and it was surrounded by other buildings.  However disregarding  their privacy they designed on the outside walls with big glass windows. From living room I could see the next house's walls very near. I also could see the interesting streetscape from there.  A view from rooftop terrace was more interesting, the building was surrounded by two or three stories houses. And I could see many high buildings : Marunouchi, Akasaka, Roppongi, and Shinjuku beyond the  small houses. On map, The site was in center of Tokyo, nevertheless I felt only this area was left behind the times 

It was very interesting for me to walk up the floors that had different functions and different views. And it remind  me of my elementary school days. I used to love climbing trees and I could see my hometown and find small interesting discovers about roof colors or types of balconies. I felt the same kind of excitement as I was walking up stairs in the building.

After the visit, I sat down and thought about the concept and the design of the building. By coexisting residential area and work space under one roof,  Atelier Bow-Wow realized very unique and exiting house. But this house is a good example of satisfying only one particular group of people who are professional carer minded couples without kids and who have devoted all their time to their careers.

In general, houses are designed only for family members and one using for living. I feel every houses are struggling to maxsimize their private space on their site. I think it makes Japanese streetscapes boring. In many cases, properties are very small in Tokyo and for this reason,houses should be more open not hidden by fences. With this in my mind,  "House and Atelier Bow-Wow" is a great example of utilizing given space not only for privacy but public space. Hopefully, we can apply this concept in the future.

Finally I would like to thank Atelier Bow-Wow and Watari Museum of Contemporary Art who provide this valuable opportunity.


reference
http://www.archdaily.com/5918/house-atelier-atelier-bow-wow/

The ultimate house

Two weeks ago I visited a place called "the ultimate studio apartment".　
The apartment had five studios and each studio was about 30㎡.



There was only one door for restroom in the studio. The rest of the studio was just an open space with no partitions and walls. But unlike ordinary studios, the kitchen and the restroom were carefully situated in the center of the room. And also the wall on the far end had unique windows. The windows next to the central wall stretched from bottom to the top. Those two points helped create spacious atmosphere and the room look bigger than its actual size. Mr. Ogawa who designed the apartment said that was the reason why I named it "the ultimate studio apartment".

I think the building is too unique to be called the ultimate house, and it is not useful for everyone. However, I was very encouraged by visiting the building. I think about house designs in my job, but there are many rules, the construction standard act and in-house rules. So, we often think architecture design very narrowly. But "the ultimate studio apartment" disregarded these rules. It opened my views on approaching ideas from a different angle in designing houses.





No rule is the key phrase. This reminds me of a family in India surviving on a busy roadside in a downtown area. There was no structure but a faucet with running water. I had seen street people in Japan, but India family were different from Japanese cases. In many cases Japanese street people were alone in humble shack on a empty place. I felt the India family were completely free from architectural rules.



I think it is difficult and unfair to compare lifestyle that the Japanese architect suggested and the situation that Indian street family face. However the Indian family also opened my eyes to the role of a house by extreme way.

Tadao Ando

A few months ago, I attended a short lecture by Tadao Ando at the GA gallery in Harazyuku. I have heard his lectures two or three times before and read many of his books, however in the lecture Ando told a very interesting story that I never heard before.

I had felt Ando was little bit different from other japanese architects since he never uses ambiguous or abstract words that other architects like to use and he always speaks directly to ordinary people and not to architects. But I couldn't understood the reason why he is different.

In the lecture he said,
"I decline any offers discuss with other architect in a public space. Because, I didn't go to university and learned architecture on my own. I am humble. So, if I have a opportunity to discuss with other architects in a public space, it will be a waste of time for both of us and a public humiliation for me. "



He is one of Japan's most famous architects and he his architect career has spanned over 50 years. So, I don't think he is an uneducated man and I can't understand his words and comments about himself. However, I think his complex about his educational background makes him different.

I have been to about ten buildings designed by Ando. For me, "Church of the light" is the best architectural design. The church was a very simple box without any ornaments. However, I felt rich light from cross-shaped slit in the wall that made a statement.

a my personal experience

Four months have past since I wrote my last article.(It has been a long time.) In this article, I would like to tell you about a personal experience about architecture. That is the reason why I continue to learn architecture

Ten years has elapsed since I started to learn architecture. However only Two years has gone by since I saw really beautiful architecture for the first time.

Two years ago, I went to India and Bangladesh to see some architecture designed by famous architect Le Corbusier and Louis Isadore Kahn. Of course. their architecture was really beautiful,but the most impressive architecture was a mosque that I didn't know who designed.



When I was in India. One day, I walked around downtown in early morning as I always do while traveling. I found an entrance and casually walked in. I was surprised by the superb surroundings. Compared to outside, the inside was completely different. ( It was so clean and quiet.)





I was glued especially to a column. That was builded using many polygonal shapes. In the rising sun, the polygonal shapes had displayed beautiful gradation in the contrast of the side in the sunlight and the side not.

Before my trip, I had saw much architecture, but I never imagined how beautiful a column made of simple geometry would be.

At that time I felt strongly that light and shadow were the most important elements for architectural beauty and I understood Louis Isadore Kahn's words "without light there is no architecture".



When I feel myself weakening in my job, I often recall that scene in the mosque and I begin to wonder why I'm bothered by such trifles.

Toyo Ito and Cherry-blossom

Last manth I went to Utunomiya to see a project named SUMIKA. In this project four famous architects designed three houses and one pavillion. Toyo Ito was one of the architect and he designed the pavillion. I enjoyed each of the four projects, however I would like to write about Ito's pavillion in this arcticle. I'm going to write about the three other projects in the next.


The pavillion designed by Ito was the visitor center of the SUMIKA project. Initially Many of the visitors recived a short lecture about the SUMIKA project at the pavillion. The form of the pavillion was a very simple square box, but the structure was very unique. It was covered geometric patterns made from bonded wood.The structure itself was bonded wood. So,there were few vertical pillars or parallel beams inside. The most interesting point of this architecture is that in appearance it looked very eccentric but once inside this eccentricty disappered and I could enjoy this bright and open space. I guess the unique structure give this impression. Usually walls and ceilings are completely different from each other. But Ito successfully used the same geometric patterns to close the difference between walls and ceilings. To cover a space with only one pattern, we realize that the space continues into its surroundings. I think this continuousness is the character of Ito's architecture. But it took me a month to understand the reason why Ito designed his architecture like this.


A month later, I watched a TV program featuring Ito Toyo and his latest works. In the program he said that
"Architecture always needs structures and materials. That is inevitable fact. But I belive these structures and materials must not harm human acution. Architecture makes human more free, both mentally and physically. In this meaning, I think cherry-blossom tree has ideal architecture. This season, Cherry trees makes space under its own cherry-blossoms as just architecture makes space for peple. Every one who comes to view cherry-blossoms can choose there place freely and do anything they want,drinking,daicing,singing,playing and so on."
When I watched the program, I thought what I felt in the pavillion was freedom that Ito pointed out in this program.


Now Ito is 67 years old. At this age, many of people retire from office and enjoy after retireing. But Ito still stands at the forefront of architectural design. He inspired me very much because I'm only 28 years old.




より大きな地図で Japanese Architecture を表示

about myself

I was born and raised in a small town very near the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka, Japan. Growing up I lived in an old japanese wooden house which have been builded 80 years ago by my great-grandfather.

When I was 18 years old I moved to Tokyo to study architecture in university. To study architecture design was very interesting and I spent a immense amount of time and effort for my projects which were never realized.

While I studied architectural design, I though that I had to know more about architectural history to make new designs and to explain my designs objectively. So, I went to a graduate school to study architectural history. Architectural history was also very interesting. I understood the flow of modern architecture and its origin. There were many kinds of discussions about the origin of modern architecture, my image of it was some kind of social reform by home-building industries. Many Architects believed that they can change society by a new industrial house. A industrial house which was clean, comfortable, bright, not expensive and made the worker's mind more modern. Workers who had a modern mind often created new trends of time.　
I understood the origin of modern architecture, however I had felt some stagnation about the present situation regarding Japanese architecture. I felt many architects pursue their own new eccentric design completely separate from social movement and they evaluate their works only against each other. This had led me to feel that I lived in an ivory tower. On the other hand, I had been sympathetic about architect's words and I love architectural design.

Interest about the origin of modern architecture and stagnation about the present situation regarding architecture were the reasons why I chose my job. However, my choice has led me to more deep disillusion.


In my company, we produce 10,000 houses in a year. In this meaning, my company is the industrial house company that ancient great architects dreamed of. However, because of this scale, we have to consider not only design but structure system, transportation system, order system, construction system and so on. We spend a immense amount of time and money to maintain this huge system. To maintain the system, we have so many company-specific design rules. For example, every dimension depend on 151mm module, we have only one wood panel structure system, we have to chose every window from only two companies. And the price is expensive compare to local architects office. On the other hand, the company-specific design rules make limitation about design. In many cases, the rules is not big problem, we can propose a house that makes customer happy. But if I try to realize a house really fit customer's life style, the rules might be a big difficult.

In my modest opinion, I think my companies design are fair, but may be considered a little expensive in some sense. I don't have enough time to create really good design house because of hard schedule, and every houses become inevitably expensive because company scale is very big.These days, I think I am in a half-finished state. 3 years have passed since I started to work in this company, now I feel this is the time to change my thinking style.

Diener & Diener

Last week I went to Tokyo Opera City to see an exhibition from Switzerland entitled "The House and The City : Architecture by Diener & Diener" . The exhibition was extremely impressive.

In many cases, an architectural exhibition focuses not only on architecture but architects. They try to show the character of their design and how they differ form other architects up to their latest project. In the actual building, they also try to realize their own design, by making it different from the surroundings. Because of the architect's trend, their works become a unique place in the town and, in some cases, prove to be controversial

I think Diener & Diener's approach to architecture is completely different from other architects. In the exhibition Diener & Diener showed us a lot of large scale site models. Those models included not only their projects but a lot of the surroundings. I was surprised to see those models, because Diener & Diener didn't try to differentiate their project from the surrounding buildings in those models. At first glance, I couldn't see their works. I guess many other architects did their very best to make their project stand out in the same situation. I could sense some kind of modesty from those.

In the exhibition, Diener & Diener showed us not only models but a lot of photos of their works. In the actual buildings, their works were also not easy to find at a glance, because they fitted in with the surroundings. I could see that they carefully designed their buildings to create good harmony with the surrounding buildings.

Architects always try to create new designs that people have never seen before with avidity and, in many cases, new design means new shape. So architects look for new materials, new structures and new technology. I like new design and I hope for the opportunity to realize a design that people have never seen before. But Diener & Diener have shown me that it is possible to create impressive architecture without a new shape.

In the exhibition, their works looked very interesting, however we can't evaluate architecture properly until see it for ourselves. Now I aspire to see it for myself.

Architecture and eco-friendly

4 months ago, I took a 5 day vacation and went to Yakushima. At Yakushima, my idea about architecture and eco-friendly had dramatically changed.

Yakushima is known for cedar named Yaku-sugi that have stood for over a millennium. And there are many high mountains. I planed 2 days climbing, 1st day to went to Zyoumon-sugi that is oldest Yaku-sugi(7200 years old) and stay in a mountain hut. On the second day I went to Miyanoura-dake(1936m higt) that is the highest mountain in Yakushima.

Unfortunately 1st day was rainy day. I woke up at 4 am and started to clim at 6 am. About 11 am I reached Zyoumon-sugi. In my plan it takes 1 hour form Zyoumon-sugi to the mountain hut. But I lost my way to the hut. Looking back, when I realized that I lost my way, If I coolly checked my map I could back to Zyoumon-sugi less than 2 hours. But I could't. Because this was the my first time to climb. And I climbed alone. So, I panikced. Because of panic I was lost in the more deep woods and finally I had to sleep rough. Fortunately next morning the weather was fine and I managed to came back.

Through this experience I have strongly felt how weak humankind is and how important flat floors and strong roof are for humankind. Living in a city We have no doubt about our surroundings. However, surroundings filled with artificial things like city is only a very small part of the earth and we can't survive without these modern luxuries. When I slept rough, what I really needed was a flat floor to sleep with my legs stretch out and a strong roof to shelter me from the rain. I felt those two things were the beginning of of architecture.

Thinking about my room, there are many kind of equipments, lights, air conditioner, kitchen, shower and so on. This is a far cry from our beginnings. People believed these are the bare necessities of life. But I think these are much more than enough. These days we need to carefully consider the influence humankind has one the earth. We should realize that we can't live comfortably without modern luxuries and reconsider what is really need for our lives.

Japanese houses 3

In the last 2 articles I told you about the present situation regarding Japanese houses and their origin. This time, I would like to write my hopes for the future of Japanese houses.

Until 50 years ago, people had only a few choices about the construction of their own new house, because every area had it's own construction way and materials. There were many limitations to the design. But because of this , there was good unity in the townscape.

These days, we have so many choices about the construction of our new houses. With the advancement of technology, We can choose any structure, any material and any color we want. I think, because of this increment of choices, the unity has disappeared and the townscape has became confused.

I understand people's desire to realize their own ideal house. However, in some cases their choice is good for their house but not good for their town. I believe to follow the architectural law is not enough. Each town has it's own unspoken rules about design and unity. To follow the local rules is most important, but in many towns, people only care about their own house. But I hope some day, people have more active discussions about their town design and try to realize their ideal townscape.

Japanese houses 2

Last article I told you about the present situation regarding Japanese houses. This time, I would like to write about the origin of the home-building industry in Japan.

There are 5 or 6 big house production companies in Japan. Many of these companies started in the 1960's. As the 1960's are called the golden 60's,The Japanese economy dramatically grew in this decade and in 1964 we had the first Olympics in Asia

After WWⅡ many people wanted a new world different from before WWⅡ. At that time the American life style was their ideal lifestyle. During the 1950's, people desperately needed to recover form the damage of WWⅡ. There was no room to create the new lifestyle. But 1960's, Everyday life became more steady, many people wanted Modern Luxuries and a new house. I think this is the reason why many house production companies started in the 1960's.

House production companies originated in the 1960's. However, the origins of the home-building industry are older than house production companies. When WWⅡ was finished, there was a shortage of 4,200,000 houses in Japan. At that time, architect Kunio Maekawa designed a house production system named Premos. It was made by only one size of wooden panel. The panel (1m×2.6m×11.1cm) was used for floor, wall and roof. Premos was based on modern lifestyle like America. It was looked like occupation army's house and there were no Japanese tatami mats.

The idea of a factory made Prefabricate house was not Maekawa's original idea. Manyfamous architect had tried to realize the idea. In the beginning of the 20 century, many architects had a dream to change the old society and realize new modern society. They believed workers were the new center player of the new society. So, architects looked for inexpensive modern house. I think, one of the answers were the prefabricate house.

In my everyday job, I can't find any relationship between architectural history and my job. However, home-building industry takes a important role in architectural history and this idea makes my job more meaningful.

Japanese houses 1

My job is in a home-building industry. This time, I would like to write about my job and the present situation regarding Japanese houses.

If you try to get your own detached house in japan, you have 3 choices. A house designed by an architect, a house produced by a big house production company(including my company) or a house built by a local house builder.

For the architect-designed houses, the architect only does the design and he asks some other local house builder to construct it. If you like his design style and can trust him 100%, you can get your ideal house. The cost is up to you.

For the produced house, the company takes care of your house from design to construction. House production companies have their own design teams, production systems, structure systems, transportation systems, and construction systems. So, quality is kept at a very high level. But on the other hand the cost is more expensive than the local built houses. As the production houses are mass produced, there are some limitations on structure and design. A house producter like me is little bit different from an architect. The architect always produces one design for one house, but we produce one system for 10,000 houses. I think, If you really want your own distinct design, the architect house is the best choice.

For the local built house, there are no professional design teams. They decide design through experience and ideas. Compared to the architect house and the produced house, the local builder's house keeps low profile. However, in reality, more than 80% of new houses in Japan are built by local builders

These days, the population of Japan is going down, and people's life styles are changing. Some people want to realize their own ideal house. Because of this, the architect house will never disappear. However the produced house and the local built house must try to accommodate these people in the near future.

The cocoon tower

A very unique piece of architecture is going to open soon at Shinjuku. The cocoon tower is designed by KENZO TANGE ASSOCIATE. It is 50 stories and 203m high. There will be 3 vocational schools and about 10 thousand students in the tower. Among the 3 vocational schools, the fashion school is the oldest, so the concept of the tower is a cocoon producing silk. The round silhouette and white lines which cover the tower look like a cocoon.

The cocoon tower provokes active debates over the pros and cons by it's design. In my opinion, it's design is not good but important for Shinjuku.

To get closer to the tower, the white lines are not a soft curve like silk but are a vivid stripe. At a glance,the facade is designed to give the building a natural look and feel like cocoon. However only 2 patterns are overlayerd and when view up close it looks too artificial. It makes me feel cheated.I think the design is not express cocoon's softness and complexity at all. It's too busy for me.

When you get far from the tower,the facade design fades out and you can see only the silhouette with the other towers in Shinjuku. In many cases, not only a single building but many silhouettes made by many buildings determine the city's image. Given this, the cocoon tower is a unique addition to Shinjuku skyline. I think the variety is the most appealing point of Shinjuku. In conclusion, the cocoon tower's design is not necessarily good but is important for Shinjuku.

archways

A few weeks ago, I had a chance to visit the Tama Art University New Library designed by Toyo Ito. The library has a characteristic space consisting of a series of C. The origin of archways is very old. Even today, we can see them in mosques.

This February, I went to India to see Louis Kahn's architecture. Of course, Louis Kahn' architecture is very beautiful and the mosques are also impressive. I had never seen such stately architecture. In reduced illumination, I felt some kind of religious eternalness. I think the archways are the most important feature of that space. The archways are not simple. The cross section of archways is different at different level, the first level is a square,the next is a little small square, the next is a polygonal shape,the next is simple circle and so on. So,each archways has a complex shape. As a result, the space become a very stately space.

The archways in the Tama Art University New Library are completely different from old mosque archways. They are very simple, thin and abstract. And the space is bright. I can't help feeling the changes of time and advances in technology

A special lecture by Peter Zumthor

This Thursday I had a special lecture by Peter Zumthor at Tokyo University. In this lecture he told me a lot of important things. However, I think the lecture style itself expressed his architectural character.

In many architect's lectures, they talk about a topic they are interested in or their latest works with graphics. But Zumthor's lecture does not. First, he simply introduced himself and told us about his office and his life style. After, he spent all the remaining time having a discussion with us and he didn't use any graphics.

During the discussion, he told us about the site. He told that, " Every site has it's own attractive point. Once you find the attractive point of the site, all you have to do is to utilize the advantages of that." I think an Architect's work is not make an eccentric building, but design architecture that has good harmony with it's surroundings.

Zumthor's architectural character that carefully consider about the site and surroundings has some relationship with his lecture style. I feel he tried to utilize his surroundings through discussion with us

At the end of lecture, he gave us a massage. He said " Just be yourself".
That is also just like him to say that.

Japanese Architecture History

Before talking about Japanses architecture, I'would like to point out features of Japanese Architectural history. Compaer to the European architectural history, the turing point of Japanese architecture history is not claer.

In European architecture history, every period has it's own character and form. And we can easyly distinguish them. Of cource, Japanese history has s claer turning point. But about architecture, turning point is ambiguous.

I think geography is the most biggest reason. Architecture is dicided by the sites and pleople. Diffirent sites and different people make different architecture. In Eourepe, each Architectural period was developed in different site and diffirent ehic group. But japanese arhitecture has been debeloped in small area and Architect has been always same ehnic group. (The distance from Tokyo to Kyoto is about 500km. It's shroter than the distance form Mirano to Roma. It's only a half of the distance form Rome to Paris.)

However, there are so many great archticture in Japan. Mitokusan Nageire-dou is the architecture which has gave me a very big impact. Because the site is crazy. It in the middle of cliff. Today I can't know the reason why peolpe build their temple like this site. But we can still feel the storng intention that make archetecture.

For me, Japanese archtectual history is imaged not a stream of period which has different calacter, but a some kind of mass formed by individual archtecture like Nageire-dou.

coated plywood

Today, we have so many kind of coated plywood. If you use coated plywood, you can get any kind of board you like. First you make a frame which size is depend on you. Second you put coated plywood which is printed with your favorite pattern on the frame. In this way, you can get 100m very light metal board.

The boad made by frame and coated plywood is very useful. It's not expensive and easy to bring. So, it's used in many ways. Tables, bookshelfs, doors, partitions and so on. Using like that board in office is no problem. However I think useing it in house is not good.

The biggest reason is aging. A scratch on the table which made by coated plywood never diapper. And form the first scratch, damages will widen. A scratch on the table which made by pure wood also diaapper, but by the aging it will fade into the background.

Over the life time of a table, If you polish the surface, the pure wood table will regain their brilliance. Even If you don't polish the table it will be remamin close to it's original condition. But the coted plywood table won't. You have to buy new one, and old one is in the garbage

Of course, coated plywood is good for people who like new. But it's not good for people who like to use one for a long time. I would rather latter case.

Moriyama House

Moriyama House was designed by Ryue Nishizawa in 2005. There are 10 seperated rooms. Mr Moriyama is using 4 rooms, his freind from childhood is useing 1 room and the other 5 rooms are rented.

Mr Nishizawa, in his book, wrote that Transparency and Asunder is the principle of this architecture. And that this house looks very different form ambient enviroment which keeps old downtown residential style, but the idea of openhearted life that uses a garden is common.

In urban area in Japan, many of people make fences around their house to protect their privacy. I think fences makes town scape boring. Each house is completely seperated. There is a little greenery. I don't like today's town scape but on the other hand, I know that fances cannot be avoided in Japan. Because usually the site is very small.

The most surpriseing thing to visit here is that I can easily to look inside the rooms. But there are very interseting space like old downtown residential style. I think, If you decide to live in downtown not in a apartment but in a house, you have to chose fence house or Moriyama house.

I like Moriyama house. But in view of Japanese present situation, Moriyama house is only a particuler solution. Fence houses are the most accepable solution.