Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Kuma, Kengo - Bognár, Botond - Kuma, Kengo - Kengo Kuma - Selected Works-Princeton Architectural Press (2005)
Uploaded by
Out ShedOriginal Title
Copyright
Available Formats
Share this document
Did you find this document useful?
Is this content inappropriate?
Report this DocumentCopyright:
Available Formats
Kuma, Kengo - Bognár, Botond - Kuma, Kengo - Kengo Kuma - Selected Works-Princeton Architectural Press (2005)
Uploaded by
Out ShedCopyright:
Available Formats
+%.
'/
+5-!
05",)3(%$ "9
02).#%4/. !2#()4%#452!, 02%33
%!34 3%6%.4( 342%%4
.%7 9/2+ .%7 9/2+
&/2 ! &2%% #!4!,/' /& "//+3 #!,,
6)3)4 /52 7%" 3)4% !4 7770!02%33#/-
02).#%4/. !2#()4%#452!, 02%33
!,, 2)'(43 2%3%26%$
02).4%$ !.$ "/5.$ ). #().!
&)234 %$)4)/.
./ 0!24 /& 4()3 "//+ -!9 "% 53%$ /2 2%02/$5#%$ ). !.9 -!..%2 7)4(/54
72)44%. 0%2-)33)/. &2/- 4(% 05",)3(%2 %8#%04 ). 4(% #/.4%84 /& 2%6)%73
%6%29 2%!3/.!",% !44%-04 (!3 "%%. -!$% 4/ )$%.4)&9 /7.%23 /& #/092)'(4
%22/23 /2 /-)33)/.3 7),, "% #/22%#4%$ ). 35"3%15%.4 %$)4)/.3
0(/4/ #2%$)43
00 o +)4!+!-) #!.!, -53%5- &5*)435+! -)435-!3!
00 o -53%5- /& !.$/ ()2/3()'% &5*)435+! -)435-!3!
00 o 7!4%2',!33 &5*)435+! -)435-!3!
00 o 0,!34)# (/53% 3(/+/+53(! 05" #/ ,4$ 0(/4/ "9 4 (!4!
00 o -53%5- /& !.$/ ()2/3()'% &5*)435+! -)435-!3!
00 o .!35 ()34/29 -53%5- &5*)435+! -)435-!3!
00 o 34/.% -53%5- &5*)435+! -)435-!3!
00 o o 4/0 "/4/.$ "/'.!2
00 o o o $!)#) !./
00 o "/44/- +%.'/ +5-! !33/#)!4%3
00 o o o 4/0 o o o o 4/0 o
o 4/0 o "/44/- o "/44/- 4/0 "/44/-
o "/44/- 4/0 o o o o
&5*)435+! -)435-!3!
00 o "/44/- 4/0 "/44/- o "/44/- o 4/0
4/0 "/44/- o o 4/0 o 4/0 o
"/44/- o o o o 3(/+/+53(! 05" #/ ,4$
0(/4/ "9 4 (!4!
00 o "/44/- "/44/- 3().+%.#()+5
3(!
0 3!4/3() !3!+!7!
00 o o 4/0 o 4/-)/ /(!3()
%$)4/2 .)#/,! "%$.!2%+
$%3)'.%2 03
30%#)!, 4(!.+3 4/ .%44)% !,*)!. *!.%4 "%(.).' -%'!. #!2%9 0%..9 95%. 0)+
#(5 2533%,, &%2.!.$%: *!. (!58 #,!2% *!#/"3/. */(. +).' -!2+ ,!-34%2
.!.#9 %+,5.$ ,!4%2 ,).$! ,%% +!4(!2).% -9%23 ,!52%. .%,3/. *!.% 3(%).-!.
3#/44 4%..%.4 *%..)&%2 4(/-03/. */3%0( 7%34/. !.$ $%" 7//$ /&
02).#%4/. !2#()4%#452!, 02%33 +%6). # ,)00%24 05",)3(%2
,)"2!29 /& #/.'2%33 #!4!,/').'
).
05",)#!4)/. $!4!
"/'.!2 "/4/.$ o
+%.'/ +5-! 3%,%#4%$ 7/2+3 "/4/.$ "/'.!2
0 #-
).#,5$%3 ")",)/'2!0()#!, 2%&%2%.#%3
)3".
(!2$#/6%2 !,+ 0!0%2 )3".
0"+ !,+ 0!0%2
+5-! +%.'/ o !2#()4%#452%*!0!.4( #%.4529 ) +5-! +%.'/
o
)) 4)4,%
.!+!
$#
#/.4%.43
!#+./7,%$'-%.43
).42/$5#4)/.
+%.'/ +5-!
!. !2#()4%#452% /& $)33/,54)/.
4(% 7/2+ /& +%.'/ +5-!
"/4/.$ "/'.!2
+)2/
3!. /"3%26!4/29
9/3()5-) /#()
'5. %()-% 02%&%#452%
7!4%2',!33
!4!-) 3():5/+! 02%&%#452%
2)6%2&),4%2
4!-!+!7! &5+53()-! 02%&%#452%
./( 34!'% ). 4(% &/2%34
4/9/-! 4/-%
'5. -)9!') 02%&%#452%
-%-/2)!, 0!2+
4!+!3!+) '5--! 02%&%#452% 02/*%#4
+)4!+!-) #!.!, -53%5-
)3()./-!+) -)9!') 02%&%#452%
34/.% -53%5-
.!35 .!35
'5. 4/#()') 02%&%#452%
-53%5- /& !.$/ ()2/3()'%
"!4/ .!35
'5. 4/#()') 02%&%#452%
4!+!9!.!') #/--5.)49 #%.4%2
4!+!9!.!') .))'!4! 02%&%#452%
.!35 ()34/29 -53%5-
.!35 .!35
'5. 4/#()') 02%&%#452%
4!+!3!+) 0!2+).' "5),$).'
4!+!3!+) '5--! 02%&%#452%
3%!&),4%2
/./$! 9!-!'5#() 02%&%#452%
').:!. /.3%. (/4 302).' "!4( (/53%
/"!.!:!7! 9!-!'!4! 02%&%#452%
0,!34)# (/53%
-%'52/
+5 4/+9/ 02%&%#452%
'2%!4 "!-"// 7!,,
"%)*).' #().!
"!)3/
). 4%-0,%
-).!4/
+5 4/+9/ 02%&%#452%
0!).4 (/53% "5),$).'
4!-! 4/+9/ 02%&%#452%
&/2%34&,//2
+!25):!7! .!'!./ 02%&%#452%
3/"! 2%34!52!.4 !4 4/'!+53() 3(2).%
4/'!+53() .!'!./ 02%&%#452%
(/2!) /.3%. "!4( (/53%
!4!-) 3():5/+! 02%&%#452%
3()"59! 34!4)/. &!#!$% 2%./6!4)/.
3()"59!
+5 4/+9/ 02%&%#452%
/.% /-/4%3!.$/
-).!4/
+5 4/+9/ 02%&%#452%
-!3!.!2) -52!) !24 -53%5-
3%4!'!9!
+5 4/+9/ 02%&%#452%
3()././-% !0!24-%.4 "5),$).'
+/4/
+5 4/+9/ 02%&%#452%
02/*%#4 #2%$)43
")/'2!0(9
,)34 /& 7/2+3
3%,%#4%$ ")",)/'2!0(9
34!&&
!#+./7,%$'-%.43
) WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE WITH GREAT APPRECIATION THE GENEROUS
SUPPORT ) RECEIVED FOR MY WORK ON THIS BOOK FROM THE 2ESEARCH "OARD
OF THE 5NIVERSITY OF )LLINOIS AND THE !SIAN 3TUDIES &UNDING )NITIATIVE
OF THE #ENTER FOR %AST !SIAN AND 0ACImC 3TUDIES 5NIVERSITY OF )LLINOIS
) WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK +ENGO +UMA AND HIS OFmCE FOR HIS
SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO THIS PUBLICATION
"OTOND "OGNAR
5RBANA )LLINOIS .OVEMBER
).42/$5#4)/.
+%.'/ +5-!
-Y ULTIMATE AIM IS TO iERASEw ARCHITECTURE BECAUSE ) BELIEVE THAT A BUILDING SHOULD BECOME ONE WITH
ITS SURROUNDINGS 4HIS IS HOW ) HAVE ALWAYS FELT THIS IS HOW ) WILL CONTINUE TO FEEL (OW THEN CAN
ARCHITECTURE BE MADE TO DISAPPEAR
7HEN ) DESIGNED THE - "UILDING o IN 4OKYO AT THE BEGINNING OF MY CAREER ) BELIEVED THAT IF
) CREATED AN ARCHITECTURE OF FRAGMENTATION THE BUILDING WOULD DISSOLVE AND BLEND INTO THE CHAOS THAT
SURROUNDED IT 4OKYO IS OFTEN CALLED A iCITY OF CHAOS w WHERE THE OLD AND THE NEW THE SMALL AND THE LARGE
THE ARTImCIAL AND THE NATURAL ARE MIXED TOGETHER WITHOUT ANY DISCERNIBLE ORDER 9OU WILL ENCOUNTER THIS
PHENOMENONWHICH IS BOTH A WEAKNESS AND AN ATTRACTIONIN MANY !SIAN CITIES )T WAS PARTICULARLY
PREDOMINANT IN THE LATE S WHEN 4OKYO WAS FULL OF ENERGY AND BUSINESS WAS BOOMING
3UDDENLY AFTER EVERYTHING CHANGED 4HE ECONOMIC BUBBLE HAD BURST AND THE ONLY JOBS THAT CAME
MY WAY WERE SMALL SCALE PROJECTS IN PROVINCIAL CITIES 4HE mRST COMMISSION ) RECEIVED OUTSIDE OF 4OKYO
IN WAS TO BUILD AN OBSERVATORY ATOP -OUNT +IRO ON /SHIMA A SMALL ISLAND IN THE )NLAND 3EA
4HE SUMMIT HAD BEEN LEVELED AND WAS USED AS A PARK AND THE MAYOR OF 9OSHIUMI ASKED ME TO DESIGN AN
OBSERVATORY THERE THAT COULD SERVE AS THE TOWNS SYMBOL ) PROCEEDED TO MAKE A VARIETY OF MOCKUPS RANGING
FROM CYLINDERS TO CONES TO GLASS BOXES BUT NONE OF THEM SEEMED RIGHT 4HEN A THOUGHT OCCURRED TO ME WHY
NOT BURY THE OBSERVATORY !S LONG AS IT WAS DESIGNED AS A STRUCTURE SEPARATE FROM THE ENVIRONMENT
IT WOULD REMAIN A FOREIGN OBJECT IN ITS SURROUNDINGS NO MATTER WHAT SHAPE OR FORM ) USED OR WHAT MATERIAL
) EMPLOYED 3O ) PLANNED TO INVERT THE FORMAT ITSELF FROM CONVEX TO CONCAVE AND FROM OBJECT TO VOID
-Y INTENTION WAS TO EMBED THE BUILDING INTO THE MOUNTAIN BY CREATING A 5
SHAPED CONCRETE FORM ABOVE
THE PARK AND THEN RESTORING THE ORIGINAL SHAPE OF THE MOUNTAIN OVER IT 4HROUGH THE PROCESS OF COVERING
THE GROUND WITH SOIL AND PLANTING GREENERY ) WAS ABLE TO CREATE AN ARCHITECTURAL FORM THAT WHEN SEEN
FROM ABOVE LOOKED LIKE A SLIT CUT INTO THE EARTH 3EEN FROM THE GROUND HOWEVER IT APPEARED TO BE AN
ORDINARY MOUNTAIN
)F THE FORM TAKEN BY CONVENTIONAL ARCHITECTURE IS AN iOBJECT w THEN THIS IS A iVOID w OR THE EXACT REVERSE
OF AN OBJECT !N ARCHITECTURAL FORM HAS BEEN ERASED 4HIS VOID HOWEVER EMBRACES A SEQUENCE OF HUMAN
EXPERIENCES ) THUS DISCOVERED THE POTENTIAL OF ARCHITECTURE TO ACT AS AN EXPERIENCE OR PHENOMENON RATHER
THAN AS AN OBJECT
4HE NEXT IMPORTANT TURNING POINT FOR ME CAME A FEW MONTHS LATER WHEN ) WAS ASKED TO DESIGN A GUESTHOUSE
ON A LOT IN !TAMI WHICH FACED THE 0ACImC /CEAN 7HILE ) WAS WALKING AROUND THE PREMISES A NEIGHBOR
APPROACHED ME AND TOLD ME THAT A FAMOUS ARCHITECT HAD DESIGNED HIS HOUSE (E INVITED ME TO DROP BY IF )
WAS INTERESTED (IS HOME LOOKED LIKE AN ORDINARY HOUSE FROM THE OUTSIDE BUT WHEN ) SET FOOT INSIDE ) WAS
TRULY AMAZED BY THE MYSTERIOUS ATMOSPHERE THAT PERVADED IT IT WAS THE (YUGA 2ESIDENCEALSO KNOWN AS
THE 0HANTOM (OUSEDESIGNED BY THE 'ERMAN ARCHITECT "RUNO 4AUT o
4AUT nED 'ERMANY IN AND MOVED TO *APAN !LTHOUGH HIS LIFE IN *APAN'ERMANYS ALLY DURING THE
WARWAS BY NO MEANS A HAPPY ONE HE COMPLETED TWO HOUSES THERE /NE WAS THE HOUSE IN !TAMI WHICH
IMPRESSED ME SO MUCH THAT ) BEGAN TO DEVOUR A WHOLE SERIES OF BOOKS BY THE ARCHITECT %VEN THOUGH HE
+%.'/ +5-!
STAYED IN *APAN FOR ONLY THREE YEARS HIS UNDERSTANDING OF *APANESE CULTURE WAS SURPRISINGLY DEEP AND )
LEARNED A GOOD DEAL ABOUT MY COUNTRY FROM HIS BOOKS
4AUT WAS ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY +ATSURA 6ILLA IN +YOTO WHICH HE VIEWED FROM
HIS OWN UNIQUE ANGLE (E DID NOT PRAISE ITS SIMPLE FORM AS *APANESE MODERNISTS OF THE S DID
EXTOLLING IT FOR BEING AKIN TO THE FORMS THAT MODERNISM ADVOCATED )N HIS BOOKS 4AUT TOUCHES ONLY BRIEnY
ON THE VILLAS FORM -OST OF HIS WRITING FOCUSES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GARDEN AND THE ARCHITECTURE
AND ON THE SEQUENCE OF EXPERIENCES THAT PEOPLE ENCOUNTER WHILE WALKING AROUND THE VILLA 4HE ARCHITECTURAL
FORM OF THE +ATSURA 6ILLA HE WRITES IF REGARDED IN ISOLATION IS EXTREMELY MODEST ALMOST SHACKLIKE
#ONSIDERING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE VILLA AND ITS GARDEN AS WELL AS THE VARIED EXPERIENCES IT OFFERS
HOWEVER +ATSURAS ARCHITECTURE IS RICHER THAN ANY %UROPEAN FORM 4AUT CRITICIZED ,E #ORBUSIER AND -IES
VAN DER 2OHE FOR EMBRACING NOTHING BUT FORMALISM AND HE ARGUED THAT THE +ATSURA 6ILLA WAS THE
ARCHITECTURE OF THE FUTURE FAR AHEAD OF FORMALISM 4AUT HAD THUS ALREADY PREDICTED THE ARRIVAL OF THE AGE
OF THE ENVIRONMENT
!S ) READ HIS BOOKS ) DECIDED TO MAKE THE !TAMI GUESTHOUSE AN HOMAGE TO 4AUT -Y mRST STEP WAS TO CREATE
A WATER DECK 4AUT HAD EXPRESSED ADMIRATION FOR THE +ATSURA 6ILLAS DECK MADE OF BAMBOO )N HIS VIEW A
DECK IS A MEDIUM THAT LINKS THE GARDEN TO THE BUILDING IT IS THE PLACE WHERE THE ENVIRONMENT UNITES WITH
THE HUMAN ELEMENT !T THE !TAMI GUESTHOUSE THE WATER DECK CREATES CONTINUITY WITH THE 0ACImC /CEAN
WHICH EXTENDS TO THE FAR HORIZON LINKING IT TO THE HUMAN INHABITANTS OF THE GLASS BOX 4HE DESIGN OF THE
EDGE OF THIS DECK WAS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT ) ENVISIONED IT TO LOOK AS IF THE DECK HAD SUDDENLY BEEN
CHOPPED OFF IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE AN IMMEDIATE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT AND THE
PEOPLE INSIDE
4HE BASIC ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT BEHIND THE 7ATER'LASS HOUSE WHICH ) COMPLETED IN WAS TO DEmNE
SPACE USING TWO HORIZONTAL PLANESTHE nOOR AND THE CEILING 3INCE THE DAYS OF 'REEK CIVILIZATION SOME
OF THE CENTRAL ISSUES DISCUSSED IN 7ESTERN ARCHITECTURAL THEORY HAVE BEEN THE DESIGN OF PILLARS AND THE
PLACEMENT OF WALLS 6ERTICAL ELEMENTS SUCH AS COLUMNS AND WALLS ARE THE CHIEF FACTORS THAT DETERMINE
ARCHITECTURAL SHAPE AND FORM AND IN PAINTINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF ARCHITECTURE VERTICAL ELEMENTS ARE
USUALLY PREDOMINANT 4AUT HOWEVER POINTED OUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HORIZONTAL ELEMENTS JUST AS TRADITIONAL
*APANESE ARCHITECTURE EMPHASIZED THE DESIGN OF THE nOOR AS A CENTRAL COMPONENT )N FACT AFTER THE mFTEENTH
CENTURY iELIMINATING WALLSw BECAME A SUB THEME IN *APANESE ARCHITECTURE )F TWO SPACES HAD TO BE
SEPARATED A LIGHTWEIGHT MOVABLE PARTITION SUCH AS A SHØJI PAPER SLIDING DOOR OR FUSUMA SLIDING SCREEN
WAS USED RATHER THAN BUILDING A WALL
!T THE !TAMI GUESTHOUSE ) THEREFORE PRIORITIZED THE nOOR DESIGN THE WATER DECK PLAYS A LEADING ROLE IN THE
PROJECT AND THE WALLS WERE MADE OF GLASS WHEREVER POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO DIMINISH THEIR PRESENCE #REATING
ARCHITECTURE OF GLASS DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN HOWEVER THAT THE ARCHITECTURE WILL BE iERASEDw )T IS ONLY
AFTER WE ACHIEVE A CONTINUITY OF SPACE THAT WE CAN SEE ARCHITECTURE DISAPPEAR LEAVING BEHIND ONLY THE
EXPERIENCE OF IT 4O ACCOMPLISH THIS CONTINUITY ARCHITECTS MUST FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION ON THE nOOR AND
USE IT AS A MEDIUM TO CONNECT THE PEOPLE INSIDE WITH THEIR SURROUNDINGS ,ITTLE BY LITTLE ) THUS BEGAN TO
UNDERSTAND THE REAL SIGNImCANCE OF iERASING ARCHITECTUREw
7HILE THE MATERIALS ) USED FOR THE 7ATER'LASS HOUSE WERE ALL CONTEMPORARY INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS SUCH AS
GLASS AND STAINLESS STEEL THE PRINCIPLES OF SPACE ) EMPLOYED IN THE PROJECT WERE INnUENCED BY *APANS
TRADITIONAL CONCEPT OF SPACEBROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY WAY OF AN ARCHITECT FROM 7ESTERN %UROPE WHO WAS
AT THE CENTER OF THE MODERNIST MOVEMENT )T IS SAID THAT PEOPLE REALIZE THE VALUE OF THEIR OWN TRADITIONS
ONLY AFTER EXPERIENCING CULTURAL EXCHANGE ) SIMILARLY GAINED INSIGHT INTO THE ESSENCE OF *APANS TRADITIONS
THROUGH "RUNO 4AUTS WORK
) WAS ABLE TO FURTHER EXPAND MY IDEAS IN WHEN ) DESIGNED THE 3TONE -USEUM IN .ASU 4HE
CLIENT WAS A STONE DEALER WHO OPERATED A QUARRY IN A SMALL VILLAGE NAMED !SHINO AND HAD RECENTLY
PURCHASED AN OLD STONE
BUILT WAREHOUSE MADE OF !SHINO STONE 4HE ONE
HUNDRED
YEAR
OLD WAREHOUSE
HAD BEEN USED TO STORE RICE AND THE CLIENT WANTED TO TRANSFORM IT INTO AN ART MUSEUM DISPLAYING STONE
ARTS AND CRAFTS
) WAS AT mRST RELUCTANT TO TAKE ON THE JOB SINCE STONE IS NOT MY FAVORITE MATERIAL ) mND IT TOO HEAVY AND
WALLS MADE OF STONE TOO OVERPOWERING 3TONE WALLS COMPLETELY CUT OFF THE INSIDE FROM THE OUTSIDE
SHUTTING OUT EVEN LIGHT AND WIND &OR THE SAME REASON ) DO NOT LIKE CONCRETE 7HENEVER ) AM INSIDE
A CONCRETE BUILDING ) FEEL AS IF ) AM CHOKING AND WANT TO ESCAPE AS FAST AS ) CAN !S THE PROJECT DID NOT
APPEAL TO ME ) MADE A VAGUE REPLY AND RETURNED TO 4OKYO
!BOUT A MONTH LATER HOWEVER ) FOUND THAT ) COULD NOT STOP THINKING ABOUT STONE AND DECIDED TO ACCEPT
THE JOB 4HE PROJECT CALLED FOR SEVERAL NEW BUILDINGS WHILE THE OLD STONE WAREHOUSE WAS TO BE RETAINED AS
WELL ) CONSIDERED USING GLASS BUT WAS AFRAID THAT THIS MIGHT END UP MAKING THE EXISTING WAREHOUSE LOOK
EVEN HEAVIER 7AS THERE A WAY ) COULD CREATE A LIGHTWEIGHT TYPE OF ARCHITECTURE A DELICATE ARCHITECTURE
EVEN WITH STONE )F SO ) FELT THAT ) COULD PERHAPS DRAW OUT THE SPECIAL TEXTURE OF STONE A TEXTURE THAT ALL
NATURAL MATERIALS INHERENTLY HAVE AND THAT GLASS ALUMINUM OR STEEL CAN NEVER POSSESSA HUMAN TEXTURE
IF YOU WILL /NE DAY THE IDEA OF MAKING STONE LOUVERS CAME TO MY MIND ,OUVERS ALLOW WIND AND LIGHT TO
PASS THROUGH AND WITH A LOUVER DESIGN ) COULD SHOW THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE INCLUDING ITS BACK SIDE 7HAT
PEOPLE CALL STONE ARCHITECTURE THESE DAYS IS FAKENOTHING MORE THAN SHEETS OF THIN STONE ABOUT EIGHT
INCHES THICK PASTED ONTO EXTERIOR WALLS THE REVERSE SIDE OF THE MATERIAL IS HIDDEN FROM US 4HE USE OF
LOUVERS ON THE OTHER HAND MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO SEE THROUGH THE STRUCTURE ) FELT THAT TODAYS ARCHITECTURE
NEEDS THIS SORT OF HONESTY
) RUSHED TO THE CLIENTS QUARRY AND WE IMMEDIATELY SET ABOUT MAKING A MOCKUP )N THE PROCESS WE LEARNED
THAT A
BY
INCH MM
BY
MM STONE BAR DID NOT BEND EVEN WHEN UP TO FEET M
LONG NOR DID IT BREAK ON IMPACT 7E ALSO EXPERIMENTED WITH A MASONRY STRUCTURE WHOSE STONE BLOCKS
WERE STACKED LEAVING NUMEROUS SPACES BETWEEN THE STONES !S LONG AS THE TOTAL AREA OF THE HOLES DID NOT
EXCEED ONE
THIRD OF THE TOTAL WALL AREA THE STRENGTH OF THE WALL WAS UNAFFECTED "Y REPLACING ONE
THIRD
OF IT WITH HOLES A STONE WALL THAT USED TO BE HEAVY AND INTIMIDATING WAS TRANSFORMED INTO SOMETHING
LIGHT AND APPROACHABLE ) GRADUALLY CAME TO LIKE THIS MATERIAL AND STARTED TO BELIEVE THAT ) COULD CREATE
SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM CONVENTIONAL STONE STRUCTURES
.OT ONLY DID ) BECOME INTERESTED IN STONE WHILE WORKING ON THE MUSEUM THIS PROJECT ALSO OPENED MY EYES
TO THE POSSIBILITIES OF OTHER NATURAL MATERIALS WHICH ) HAD AVOIDED USING BEFORE THEN .ATURAL MATERIALS
ARE MOST COMMONLY EMPLOYED AS SURFACE MATERIALS THAT COVER UP AND CONCEAL CONCRETE STRUCTURES ,AYERS
OF WOOD STONE AND SOIL ARE PASTED OVER CONCRETE SIMILAR TO TEXTURE MAPPING IN COMPUTER GRAPHICS
.ATURAL MATERIALS ARE USED BUT NATURE IS KEPT AT A DISTANCE !S A RESULT THE NEGATIVE TRAITS THAT CONCRETE
INEVITABLY POSSESSES AS A MATERIAL SUCH AS HEAVINESS COLDNESS AND DARKNESS ARE ENHANCED EVEN MORE
7HILE DESIGNING THE 3TONE -USEUM ) LEARNED THAT WE CAN BRING NATURE BACK INTO ARCHITECTURE BY BREAKING
DOWN NATURAL MATERIALS INTO SMALLER PARTICLESA METHOD THAT ) CALL iPARTICLIZINGw "Y PARTICLIZING MATERIAL
WE CAN ALLOW LIGHT WIND AND SOUND TO PENETRATE FREELY 5SING PARTICLES AS OUR MEDIUM WE CAN UNITE THE
+%.'/ +5-!
ENVIRONMENT EFFECTIVELY WITH THE PEOPLE INSIDE ! WOODEN LATTICE WINDOW IN THE WALL OF A TOWNHOUSE IN
+YOTO FOR EXAMPLE UNITES THE INSIDE WITH THE OUTSIDE MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN A GLASS WALL WOULD 4O ENABLE
THIS TYPE OF UNION WE NEED TO SELECT THE MATERIAL AND THE SIZE OF THE iPARTICLESw CAREFULLY 7E MUST mRST
IDENTIFY THE MATERIALS THAT MAKE UP THE ENVIRONMENT AND DETERMINE THEIR SIZE 7HEN WE WEAR CLOTHING
MADE OF MATERIALS THAT HAVE THE RIGHT THICKNESS AND ARE PRODUCED WITH THE RIGHT WEAVING METHOD WE FEEL
THAT WE HAVE BECOME ONE WITH OUR ENVIRONMENT ,IKEWISE WE MUST CHOOSE THE RIGHT MATERIALS AND SELECT
THE CORRECT SIZE OF UNITS WHEN DESIGNING BUILDINGS
7HEN DESIGNING THE MUSEUM ) ALSO ANALYZED THE ACTIVITY OF THE USERS THEIR DISTANCE FROM THE PARTICLES
AND THE SPEED OF THEIR ACTIVITY 3OLVING MULTIPLE EQUATIONS SUCH AS THESE HELPS DETERMINE THE IDEAL
MATERIAL AND SIZE OF THE PARTICLES 4HE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF ARCHITECTURE ARE NOT ITS PLAN SHAPE OR
ELEVATION BUT THE PARTICLES OF WHICH IT IS MADE UP )F WE SUCCEED IN DESIGNING AN APPROPRIATE PARTICLE
THE ARCHITECTURE AND ENVIRONMENT BLEND TOGETHER !S A RESULT ARCHITECTURE MELTS AWAY ) BEGAN TO SEE THE
POTENTIAL OF ERASING ARCHITECTURE NOT BY BURYING IT BUT BY CRUSHING IT /NCE THE DESIGN OF THE PARTICLES HAS
BEEN SOLVED OTHER ELEMENTS WILL FALL INTO PLACE AUTOMATICALLY 7HILE IN THE PAST THE mRST STEP WAS TO DECIDE
ON A PLAN OR FORM BEFORE DETAILS SUCH AS INSIDEOUTSIDE BOUNDARIES WERE CHOSEN NOW THE ORDER OF THIS
DESIGN PROCESS HAS BEEN REVERSED
4HE -USEUM OF !NDO (IROSHIGE IN "ATO IS A STRUCTURE ) DESIGNED RELYING FULLY ON THIS TECHNIQUE !NDO
(IROSHIGE o WAS ONE OF *APANS LEADING UKIYOE PAINTERS (IROSHIGE TOOK NOTE OF THE PARTICLES
THAT CONSTITUTE THE NATURAL WORLD AND IN HIS WORKS SHOWED THE ESSENCE OF NATURE BY LAYERING THE PARTICLES
HE OBSERVED (E HAD A TREMENDOUS INnUENCE ON %UROPES )MPRESSIONIST MOVEMENT AND ON &RANK ,LOYD
7RIGHTS ARCHITECTURE ,E #ORBUSIER HOWEVER WHO WAS AT THE CENTER OF MODERNIST ARCHITECTURE BASED HIS
DESIGNS ON A DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE APPROACH (IS STRONG VOLUMES OF CONCRETE CONFRONT THEIR ENVIRONMENT
WAGING AN ALL
OUT WAR ON NATURE 4HE CONTRAST IN WHICH HIS ARCHITECTURE STANDS TO NATURE HAS BECOME THE
SOURCE OF ITS BEAUTY
7HAT ) ATTEMPTED TO DO WITH THE (IROSHIGE -USEUM WAS THE EXACT OPPOSITE !VOIDING CONCRETE AS A
BUILDING MATERIAL AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ) CREATED VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS FROM THE ROOF
AND THE WALLS TO THE PARTITIONS AND FURNITURE OUT OF LOUVERS MADE OF CEDAR WOOD GROWN ON THE MOUNTAIN
BEHIND THE MUSEUM ) HOPED THAT THE USE OF WOODEN LOUVERS AS PARTICLES WOULD MAKE THE BUILDING BLEND IN
WITH THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT THUS ERASING THE ARCHITECTURE ! NEW TECHNOLOGY WAS USED TO MAKE THE
CEDAR NON
nAMMABLE AND A COMPUTER
BASED STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS MADE THE DEVELOPMENT OF EXTREMELY THIN
LOUVERS POSSIBLE
-ODERNISM AIMED AT ACHIEVING ARCHITECTURAL TRANSPARENCY BUT ITS PROPONENTS COULD NOT AVOID CREATING
BUILDINGS THAT ARE JUXTAPOSED AGAINST THE ENVIRONMENT ,E #ORBUSIERS STRUCTURES ARE BUILT OF CONCRETE
WHILE THE TRANSPARENCY THAT -IES VAN DER 2OHE AIMED AT RESULTED IN GLASS OBJECTS THAT CONFRONT NATURE
4RANSPARENCY AS ) SEE IT IS NOT MERELY VISUAL CONTINUITY )T IS A CONDITION IN WHICH THE BUILDING AND THE
ENVIRONMENT DISSOLVE INTO ONE "REAKING DOWN ARCHITECTURE AND USING ITS PARTICLES AS A MEDIUM CAN
ACHIEVE THIS FUSION (IROSHIGE AND OTHER UKIYOE PAINTERS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY TAUGHT THEIR 7ESTERN
%UROPEAN COUNTERPARTS HOW THIS COULD BE DONE -Y WISH IS TO USE TODAYS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES IN
COMBINATION WITH LOCAL NATURAL MATERIALS TO REVIVE THIS TECHNIQUE IN OTHER WORDS IN MY WORK ) ATTEMPT TO
BRIDGE THE TRADITIONAL AND THE INNOVATIVE AS WELL AS THE LOCAL AND THE GLOBAL
!. !2#()4%#452% /& $)33/,54)/.
4(% 7/2+ /& +%.'/ +5-!
"/4/.$ "/'.!2
).42/$5#4)/.
#OMING OF AGE AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND RESPONDING IN DIVERGENT WAYS TO THE VICISSITUDES
OF CONTEMPORARY LIFE SINCE THE END OF 7ORLD 7AR )) GENERATION AFTER GENERATION
OF TALENTED ARCHITECTS HAVE BEEN SHAPING THE COURSE OF *APANESE ARCHITECTURE AND
URBANISM WHICH HAVE BY NOW EARNED A WELL DESERVED RECOGNITION IN THE WORLD
$URING THE PAST mFTY YEARS *APAN HAS REBUILT AND MODERNIZED ITSELF TO BECOME ONE OF
THE MOST ADVANCED COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD )TS RECENT STAGNATION NOT WITHSTANDING THE
COUNTRY IS STILL THE SECOND
LARGEST ECONOMIC SUPERPOWER AND NOW AFTER MORE THAN
TEN YEARS IN THE DOLDRUMS THERE ARE SOME SIGNS OF RECOVERY 4HE OVERALL REMARKABLE
PROGRESS HOWEVER HAS ALWAYS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY NUMEROUS DIFmCULTIES POLITICAL
SOCIAL ECONOMIC TECHNOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL UPHEAVALS HAVE REPEATEDLY MARKED THE
ROAD AND CONTINUE TO DO SO AS THE COUNTRY ENTERS THE TWENTY
mRST CENTURY IN EARNEST
3OME OF THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN SIMILARLY EXPERIENCED IN OTHER ADVANCED NATIONS
WHILE OTHERS DERIVATIVE OF PARTICULAR LOCAL CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN UNIQUE TO *APAN 9ET
IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT WHATEVER THE ORIGINS OF OR THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE CHANGES
THEIR MANIFESTATIONS IN *APAN HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MUCH MORE ACUTE THAN ELSEWHERE
HIGHLIGHTING IN A RATHER EXTREME MANNER BOTH THEIR POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IMPACTS
4HIS IS HARDLY SURPRISING AS *APAN HAS BEEN AND STILL REMAINS A LAND OF UTMOST
CONTRADICTIONS NOWHERE IS THIS MORE EVIDENT THAN IN THE ARCHITECTURE OF ITS CITIES
)N THE MIDST OF CHANGING FORTUNES AND OFTEN AGAINST ALL ODDSAND YET SOMETIMES
EXACTLY BECAUSE OF THEMGENERATIONS OF ARCHITECTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO IMPACT
THE QUALITY OF THE BUILT LANDSCAPE OF THE COUNTRY TO A REMARKABLE DEGREE -ORE
IMPORTANTLY THEIR WORK HAS IN TURN BEEN SIGNImCANTLY CONDITIONED BY THE COMPLEX
AND CONnICTING FORCES THAT HAVE STEERED *APANS RATHER PARADOXICAL COURSE OF
MODERNIZATION AND PROGRESS FROM THE MID
NINETEENTH CENTURY ON AND PARTICULARLY
SINCE THE END OF 7ORLD 7AR )) 4HE mRST POSTWAR GENERATION OF ARCHITECTS LED BY SUCH
TALENTED DESIGNERS AS +ENZO 4ANGE +UNIO -AEKAWA AND *UNZO 3AKAKURA AMONG
OTHERS UNDERSTANDABLY EMBRACED THE RATIONAL MINIMAL STYLE OF MODERNISM IN THEIR
EFFORTS TO RECONSTRUCT A COUNTRY UNDER SEVERE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS )N SO DOING THEY
SHARED MANY TRAITS OF THE REVIVED MODERN MOVEMENT WITH OTHER WAR
TORN COUNTRIES
WHERE MODERNISM WAS ALSO THE ANSWER TO RECONSTRUCTION AND TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS
%VEN SO THESE ARCHITECTS COULD NOT AVOID THE LONG
STANDING DILEMMA OF WHETHER
)T NEEDS TO BE POINTED OUT THAT WHAT APPEARS TO BE A CONTRADICTION FROM A 7ESTERN PERSPECTIVE
IS NOT NECESSARILY VIEWED AS SUCH IN *APAN 3UCH UNDERSTANDING OF THE *APANESE IS ROOTED IN THEIR
TRADITIONAL WORLDVIEWS INFORMED BY "UDDHIST PHILOSOPHY
*APANS MODERNIZATION STARTED WITH THE -EIJI 2ESTORATION IN AFTER THE COUNTRY OPENED ITS GATES
TO THE REST OF THE WORLD IN AND EMBARKED ON THE ROAD OF RAPID 7ESTERNIZATION
"/4/.$ "/'.!2
OR NOTAND IF YES HOWTO ESTABLISH A MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN *APANESE
TRADITIONS AND INTERNATIONAL MODERNITY #OMBINING BOTH IN THEIR WORKS OFTEN BY WAY OF
NO
NONSENSE JUXTAPOSITION RESULTED IN PARADOXICAL SOLUTIONS THAT AS 2EYNER "ANHAM
OBSERVED WOULD HAVE BEEN iUNTHINKABLEw ANYWHERE IN THE 7EST -UCH THAT WAS TAKING
PLACE IN *APANESE ARCHITECTURE EVEN DURING THIS TIME OF SUPPOSEDLY HIGH MODERNISM
WAS IN FACT DIVERSE AND PART OF A LARGELY iIMPUREw MOVEMENT mG
)N A SIMILAR WAY THE -ETABOLISM MOVEMENT OF THE S AND MANY OF ITS EXTRAVAGANT
IDEAS CANNOT BE DISCUSSED WITHOUT BEARING IN MIND THE EFFECTS OF *APANS TREMENDOUS
PROGRESS IN INDUSTRIALIZATION AND THE ENSUING OPTIMISM SELF
CONmDENCE AND PRIDE
THAT THIS GENERATION OF ARCHITECTS INVESTED IN THEIR WORK 4HE UTOPIAN AND UNBUILT URBAN
VISIONS AS WELL AS THE INNUMERABLE BUILT WORKS BY !RATA )SOZAKI +ISHO +UROKAWA
AND +IYONORI +IKUTAKE WHICH WERE OFTEN INnUENCED BY VARIOUS ORIENTAL PHILOSOPHIES
ILLUSTRATE NOT ONLY THE PARADOXICAL NATURE OF -ETABOLIST ARCHITECTURE BUT ALSO ITS
PARTICULAR ATTRIBUTESTHE FEARLESS AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT UNDISCRIMINATING
APPLICATION OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY MEGASTRUCTURING MONUMENTALIZATION AND
&)' SYSTEMATIZATION OF DESIGN CAPSULE ARCHITECTURE INTERCHANGEABILITY AND SO ON
-/$%2. ()'(
2)3% ATTRIBUTES THAT EXPLAIN WHY THIS MOVEMENT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN REALIZED ANYWHERE
!0!24-%.43 $%3)'.%$ 7)4(
4!4!-) !.$ 3,)$).' &535-! ELSE BUT IN *APAN mG
0!.%,3 (!25-) !0!24-%.43
",/#+ +5.)/ -!%+!7!
4/+9/ "Y THE S THE CONTINUED ONSLAUGHT OF UNCONTROLLED *APANESE INDUSTRIALIZATION HAD
BEGUN TO REVEAL ITS DESTRUCTIVE CAPACITY AND THE WORSENING ENVIRONMENTAL AND URBAN
CONDITIONS AMONG OTHERS TRIGGERED A DRASTIC SHIFT IN THE COURSE OF ARCHITECTURE 7ITH THE
IDEOLOGY OF MODERNISM BANKRUPT POSTMODERNISM WAS USHERED IN WITH A VENGEANCE !
NEW WAVE OF *APANESE ARCHITECTS ALTHOUGH MUCH RESTRICTED BY THE EMERGING ENERGY CRISIS
AND ECONOMIC RECESSION OF THE TIME TOOK WIDELY DIVERGENT POSITIONS IN ORDER TO BRING AN
END TO THE IMPASSE !CUTELY AWARE OF THE CHANGING TIMES AND EMPOWERED BY THEIR STRONG
DESIRE FOR SELF
EXPRESSION THESE ARCHITECTS BEGAN TO EXPLORE UNCHARTED TERRITORIES IN
DESIGN THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CONSIDERED TABOO )N THE BROAD SPECTRUM OF PROLIFERATING
ARCHITECTURAL THEORIES MANY RADICAL DIRECTIONS WERE INITIATED THAT HAD PRACTICALLY NOTHING
IN COMMON EXCEPT THEIR REJECTION OF -ETABOLIST IDEAS AND A SOMETIMES LATENT BUT OFTEN
EXPLICIT PRO
OR ANTI
URBAN SENTIMENT
,IMITED MEANS LITTLE OR NO INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION LACK OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND THE DIMINISHED
LABOR FORCE PROMPTED MOST WAR TORN COUNTRIES TO PURSUE AN ECONOMICAL ARCHITECTURE IN THEIR
RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS 3UCH MINIMALISM STRAIGHTFORWARD FUNCTIONALISM AND STRUCTURAL AND ARCHITECTURAL
RATIONALISM FAVORED THE ADHERENCE TO MODERNISM WHICH WAS BUILT ON THE SAME PRINCIPLES 4HE SPREAD
&)' OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE IN *APAN IN THE POSTWAR YEARS HOWEVER WAS ALSO DERIVATIVE OF THE PREWAR
.!+!'). #!035,% 4/7%2
DEVELOPMENTS AND SUCCESS OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE IN THAT COUNTRY
+)3(/ +52/+!7! 4/+9/
2EYNER "ANHAM i4HE *APONIZATION OF 7ORLD !RCHITECTURE w IN (IROYUKI 3UZUKI 2EYNER "ANHAM AND
+ATSUHIRO +OBAYASHI EDS #ONTEMPORARY !RCHITECTURE OF *APAN n .EW 9ORK 2IZZOLI
!S "ANHAM WROTE i4HERE ARE CERTAIN USAGES SHAPES FORMS STRUCTURES THAT 7ESTERN ARCHITECTS WOULD
NEVER THINK TO USE BECAUSE THEY ARE LITERALLY UNTHINKABLEw
!MONG THE NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF SUCH ECLECTIC MODERNISM NONE IS MORE EVIDENT THAN THE CASE OF 4OGO
-URANO o WHO WAS EQUALLY AT HOME IN SUCH DIVERSE STYLES OF ARCHITECTURE AS HIGH MODERNISM
TRADITIONAL *APANESE 3CANDINAVIAN VERNACULAR AND OTHERS AS WELL AS A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THESE
(OWEVER EVEN THE SO CALLED MODERNISTS SUCH AS 4ANGE B -AEKAWA o AND +IYONORI
+IKUTAKE B INFUSED TRADITIONAL IDEAS INTO THEIR ARCHITECTURE SOMETIMES SUBTLY SOMETIMES IN A
MORE EXPLICIT MANNER
)N ITS FERVENT SEARCH FOR ARCHITECTURES LOST MEANINGS THE .EW 7AVE MOVEMENT ALSO
REVEALED THAT THE UNFOLDING POSTMODERNISM AFTER THE LATE S MORE SO THAN THE
PREVIOUS MODERNISM DEVELOPED IN SIGNImCANTLY DIFFERENT WAYS IN *APAN THAN IT DID IN
%UROPE AND !MERICA -ASAO -IYOSHI AND (ARRY $ (AROOTUNIAN CORRECTLY POINTED OUT
IN THEIR BOOK 0OSTMODERNISM AND *APAN THAT iTO CONFUSE *APANS NON MODERNITY WITH
THE 7ESTS @POSTMODERNISM IS PERHAPS A SERIOUS ERROR ;4HIS IS SO BECAUSE THE= TWO
VERSIONS ARE DIFFERENTLY FOREGROUNDED IN HISTORYw 4HIS ALSO EXPLAINS WHY 4ADAO !NDOS
SEVERE MINIMALISM WHICH ERUPTED ON THE *APANESE URBAN SCENE AT THAT TIME AS WELL
AS &UMIHIKO -AKIS ARTICULATE CONTEXTUALISM AND -INORU 4AKEYAMAS POPULISM DIFFERED
SO MUCH FROM THEIR 7ESTERN COUNTERPARTS ALTHOUGH THEY WERE AT LEAST PARTIALLY
INSPIRED BY THEM mG
!2#()4%#452% ). 4(% 3
4HE ONSET AND SPLURGE OF THE BUBBLE ECONOMY IN THE S ACCELERATED THE TREND
OF ACROSS
THE
BOARD EXPERIMENTATION WHICH HAD BEGUN UNDER DIFFERENT CONDITIONS
IN THE S !S *APAN WAS CHANGING FROM AN INDUSTRIAL TO AN INFORMATION
BASED
ECONOMY THE RECESSION SHIFTED TO ANOTHER ECONOMIC BOOM NOW BOLSTERED BY
INCREASINGLY RAMPANT CONSUMERISM WIDESPREAD LAND SPECULATION AND THE SKYROCKETING
OF LAND PRICES 7ITH LARGE
SCALE INVESTMENTS IN ARCHITECTURE AND OTHER PROmTABLE &)'
URBAN PROJECTS THE MOST STRIKING CHANGE OCCURRED IN THE mELD OF URBANISM 4HE EARLIER 2/7 (/53% ). 35-)9/3()
!:5-! 2%3)$%.#%
MODERNIST AVERSION TO THE CONGESTED AND CHAOTIC *APANESE CITYA STRONG DISDAIN 4!$!/ !.$/ /3!+!
SHARED BY BOTH THE -ETABOLISTS AND MANY OF THE SUBSEQUENT .EW 7AVE ARCHITECTS
WAS FORFEITED THROUGH THE REDISCOVERY AND APPRECIATION OF THE nEXIBILITY AND VOLATILE
DYNAMICS OF THE HETEROGENEOUS AND FRAGMENTARY URBAN ORDER THAT WAS AS MUCH
INHERITED FROM THE PAST AS IT WAS THE PRODUCT OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN *APAN
4HESE URBAN QUALITIES NOW CAME TO BE REGARDED AS CREATIVE POTENTIALS FOR A NEW
ARCHITECTURE AND WERE EMBRACED BY ARCHITECTS WITH FERVOR 4OKYO ACQUIRING THE
STATUS OF ONE OF THE THREE LARGEST INFORMATIONAL WORLD CITIES BECAME A MODEL FOR
ARCHITECTURE mG
!FTER -ETABOLISM THE TECHNOLOGICAL APPROACH TO ARCHITECTURE WAS LARGELY DISCOUNTED !S INDUSTRIAL &)'
#)493#!0% !4 3()"59! 4/+9/
TECHNOLOGY OVERRAN THE CITY WITH ALL ITS NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON URBAN LIVING CONDITIONS THE CITY ITSELF
BECAME INTERPRETED BY MANY AS THE ENEMY AND MANY ARCHITECTS REJECTING THE URBAN CONTEXT
PROMOTED A iDEFENSIVE ARCHITECTUREw !MONG THEM WERE 4ADAO !NDO AND +AZUO 3HINOHARA FOR
EXAMPLE WHILE OTHERS SUCH AS &UMIHIKO -AKI AND -INORU 4AKEYAMA BELIEVED THAT THE CITY THOUGH
IT WAS NOT AN IDEAL PLACE COULD STILL BE IMPROVED UPON BY SMALL SCALE ARCHITECTURAL INTERVENTIONS
-ASAO -IYOSHI AND (ARRY $ (AROOTUNIAN EDS 0OSTMODERNISM AND *APAN $URHAM .#
$UKE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS XI
4HE EXORBITANT LAND PRICES ALSO MEANT HIGH TAX RATES ON PROPERTIES 4O AVOID THESE TAXES OWNERS
HAD TO INVEST AS FAST AS POSSIBLE IN REAL ESTATE AND CONSTRUCTION WHICH COST ONLY A FRACTION OF THE
VALUE OF THE LAND 4HE ACCELERATED MARKET ECONOMY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARCHITECTURE AS A
COMMODITY ALSO RESULTED IN A FREQUENT REPLACEMENT OF RELATIVELY RECENT STRUCTURES WITH NEW ONES
WHOSE NOVELTY SERVED AS A MEANS OF MARKETING
4HE OTHER INFORMATIONAL WORLD CITIES ARE .EW 9ORK AND ,ONDON $ATA QUOTED FROM -ANUEL #ASTELS
4HE )NFORMATIONAL #ITY /XFORD "LACKWELL 0UBLISHERS
"/4/.$ "/'.!2
$URING THE S AND EARLY S ARCHITECTS HAD PRACTICALLY UNLIMITED BUDGETS TO
WORK WITH AND ENJOYED UNRESTRICTED FREEDOM TO SHAPE THEIR BUILDINGS ANY WAY THEIR
TALENT OR FANCY COULD AFFORD $URING THIS DECADE OR SO OF ECONOMIC FRENZY MANIPULATED
REAL ESTATE MARKETS AND BUILDING BOOM ALMOST ANYTHING COULD GO 4HE RESULT WAS AN
UNPRECEDENTED EXCESS THAT YIELDED NOT ONLY THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF CONSTRUCTION BUT ALSO
THE WIDEST POSSIBLE RANGE IN ARCHITECTURAL QUALITY /N THE ONE HAND THERE WAS A RECKLESS
PROLIFERATION OF nAMBOYANT OVERLY DECORATIVE AND OFTEN INFERIOR TRIVIAL OR KITSCHY DESIGNS
THAT BOTH REnECTED AND CATERED TO THE REIGN OF COMMERCIALISM IN FASHIONING THE URBAN
ENVIRONMENT ON THE OTHER HAND A HIGHLY INNOVATIVE WORLD
CLASS ARCHITECTURE EMERGED
WHICH WAS BOTH ADMIRED AND ENVIED FAR BEYOND *APAN 4HERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS WAS
THE NEW GOLDEN AGE OF *APANESE ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN 4HE WORKS OF SUCH ARCHITECTS
AS &UMIHIKO -AKI +AZUO 3HINOHARA 4ADAO !NDO )TSUKO (ASEGAWA 9OSHIO 4ANIGUCHI
4OYO )TO AND 2IKEN 9AMAMOTO TO MENTION BUT A FEW ATTEST TO SUCH HIGH QUALITY
mGS AND
!LTHOUGH A RESTRAINED BUT RECOGNIZABLE THEATRICAL QUALITY FREQUENTLY IMBUED THE DESIGNS
OF THESE ARCHITECTS AS WELL THE WORKS OF SEVERAL OTHERS SUCH AS 3HIN 4AKAMATSU +IKO
&)' -OZUNA AND !TSUSHI +ITAGAWARA WERE MORE EXPLICIT IN THIS REGARD MOST OF THEM BEING
30)2!, "5),$).' &5-)()+/
-!+) 4/+9/ OVERLY EXAGGERATED IN NATURE mG 4O UNDERSTAND THIS DISPOSITION OF ARCHITECTURE IT
HAS TO BE ADDED THAT THE ALREADY SHORT CYCLE OF CONSTRUCTION
DEMOLITION
CONSTRUCTION
IN *APAN QUICKENED BEYOND ANY PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED RATE DURING THESE DELIRIOUSLY
ACCELERATED TIMES OF *APANESE URBANISM -OREOVER AS A RESULT OF THE INCREASING
PERMEATION OF VARIOUS INFORMATION AND MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES INTO THE URBAN REALM *APANESE
CITIESESPECIALLY 4OKYOSEEMED TO BE TURNING INTO VIRTUAL STAGES ON WHICH iSCENESw
CHANGED BOTH RAPIDLY AND APPARENTLY UNCONTROLLABLY RADICALLY BLURRING THE DISTINCTION
BETWEEN REALITY AND mCTION
!MONG THE GENERATIONS OF *APANESE ARCHITECTS WHO ARE ACTIVE TODAY +ENGO +UMA IS AMONG
THOSE WHOSE CAREERS WERE LAUNCHED DURING THE BUBBLE YEARS BUT WHOSE ARCHITECTURE
ACTUALLY UNFOLDED AND MATURED ONLY AFTER THE BUBBLE BURST !CCORDINGLY THESE DESIGNERS
HAD TO REORGANIZE THEIR WORK AND STRATEGIES IN MANY CASES NECESSITATING A SIGNImCANT SHIFT
&)'
(!-,%4 2%3)$%.4)!, #/-0,%8
IN DIRECTION TO MEET THE CHANGED MORE RESTRICTIVE CONDITIONS OF THE ECONOMIC RECESSION
2)+%. 9!-!-/4/ 4/+9/ %DUCATED IN THE LATE S AND EARLY S +UMA AND HIS NOTED CONTEMPORARIES SUCH
AS +AZUYO 3EJIMA 3HIGERU "AN AND *UN !OKI HAD LITTLE OR NO DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH THE
-ETABOLISM MOVEMENT AND EVEN LESS WITH THE EARLIER MODERNISM (AVING COME OF AGE IN
THE TURBULENT BUT EXCEEDINGLY AFnUENT AND LIBERAL SPIRIT OF THE S +UMAS GENERATION
MORE THAN MOST OF THEIR PREDECESSORS WAS NURTURED BY *APANS INTOXICATION WITH THE
PROSPERITY OF THE BUBBLE ECONOMY 4HIS GENERATION WAS HOWEVER EXPOSED NOT ONLY TO THE
POTENTIALS AND CREATIVE CHALLENGES OF THE RAPIDLY UNFOLDING NEW AGE BUT ALSO TO ITS PITFALLS
i*APANESE $ESIGN 4HE 'OLDEN !GE w 4IMES 3EPTEMBER
-ANY PROMINENT BUILDINGS WERE DEMOLISHED BETWEEN THE S AND EARLY SSOME AFTER BEING IN USE
FOR ONLY THREE YEARSTO BE REPLACED WITH NEW ONES AS WAS THE CASE WITH )TOS .OMAD 2ESTAURANT OF
IN 2OPPONGI 4OKYO 4HIS TREND HAS CONTINUED EVEN AFTER THE BURST OF THE ECONOMIC BUBBLE ALBEIT AT A
SLOWER PACE
&)'
+AZUYO 3EJIMA WAS BORN IN 3HIGERU "AN IN AND *UN !OKI IN
i2)3%w #).%-! #/-0,%8
!4353() +)4!'!7!2! 4/+9/
4HE *APANESE HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO EAGERLY EMBRACE ANYTHING THAT IS NEW OFTEN RATHER
UNCRITICALLY ONE MIGHT ADD
+UMAS GENERATION ENJOYED A HEADSTART INSOFAR AS THESE ARCHITECTS COULD BENEmT
FROM THE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS OF THE THRIVING ECONOMY AS WELL AS LEARN FROM THE
PIONEERING WORK OF THEIR IMMEDIATE PREDECESSORS WHO WERE THE mRST TO EXPLORE THE
POSSIBILITIES OF A NEW ARCHITECTURE THAT WAS BETTER IN TUNE WITH THE INFORMATION AGE AND
ITS NEW LIFESTYLES 4OYO )TOS MORE RECENT DESIGNS ESPECIALLY THE ASTOUNDING 3ENDAI
-EDIATHEQUE OF ARE AMONG THE BEST EXAMPLES OF SUCH NEW ARCHITECTURE mG
-OREOVER )TO LIKE OTHERS OF HIS GENERATION HAS ACTIVELY PROMOTED MANY YOUNGER &)'
ARCHITECTS INCLUDING +AZUYO 3EJIMA WHO STARTED TO WORK IN )TOS OFmCE AND WAS -%$)!4(%15% 4/9/ )4/
3%.$!)
INITIALLY MUCH INnUENCED BY HIS ARCHITECTURE )T IS THEREFORE NOT SURPRISING THAT MANY
ARCHITECTS IN *APAN ARE IDENTImED WITH VARIOUS INFORMAL iSCHOOLS w FORMED AROUND
CHARISMATIC DESIGNERS BY THEIR DISCIPLES OR ADMIRERS 9ET THESE YOUNGER
GENERATION
ARCHITECTS HAVE NOT MERELY FOLLOWED THE SAME ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPTS ESTABLISHED BY
THEIR RESPECTIVE MASTERS BUT DEVELOPED THEM FURTHER AND FREQUENTLY IN NEW DIRECTIONS
)N THE S AND EARLY S +AZUO 3HINOHARA AND !RATA )SOZAKI WERE REGARDED BY
MANY AS SUCH STRONG LEADERS )N THE SAME MANNER +UMAS GENERATION COULD NOT
POSSIBLY HAVE ACHIEVED AS MUCH AS IT HAS WITHOUT THE GROUNDBREAKING AND INnUENTIAL
WORK OF MANY .EW 7AVE ARCHITECTS
+UMAS RESEARCH ADVISOR AT 4OKYO 5NIVERSITY WHERE HE STUDIED IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
OF ARCHITECTURE WAS (IROSHI (ARA ONE OF THE LEADING DESIGNERS OF THE S AND
S WHO mRST MADE HIS NAME KNOWN WITH HIS REVOLUTIONARY iREnECTION HOUSESw
IN THE S (ARA ALSO GUIDED THE GRADUATE WORK OF 2IKEN 9AMAMOTO AND +IYOSHI
3EY 4AKEYAMA WHO ALONG WITH +UMA FORMED ANOTHER LOOSELY DEmNED GROUP IN
*APANESE ARCHITECTURE DURING THAT TIME (ARA FROM THE BEGINNING OF HIS WORK IN BOTH
ACADEMIA AND PRACTICE DEVOTED MUCH OF HIS EFFORTS TO CHALLENGING MANY OF MODERN
ARCHITECTURES TENETS SUCH AS ITS HOMOGENEOUS SPATIAL DISPOSITION AND UNITY OF FORM
(E LATER BECAME INTERESTED IN THE SPATIAL AND FORMAL ORGANIZATIONS OF VERNACULAR
BUILDINGS AND SETTLEMENTS AS AN IMPORTANT SOURCE FOR A NEW CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE
!S PART OF HIS RESEARCH AT THE UNIVERSITY HE ORGANIZED SEVERAL STUDY TRIPS TO THIRD
WORLD
NATIONS +UMA JOINED THE GROUP THAT TOURED SEVERAL !FRICAN COUNTRIES IN
+UMA WAS OBVIOUSLY ATTRACTED TO AND INnUENCED BY (ARAS ARCHITECTURE BUT AFmNITIES
BETWEEN +UMAS ASPIRATIONS AND HIS MENTORS INTERESTS ARE DETECTABLE ONLY IN SOME
RESPECTS IN PARTICULAR PROJECTS AND WITH DIFFERENT INTENSITIES +UMA HAS COMMENTED &)'
(/53% ). -!#()$! ).4%2)/2
ABOUT THIS ISSUE HIMSELF ()2/3() (!2!
!LTHOUGH )SOZAKI WAS THE STAR AT THAT TIME FOR ME (ARA WAS MORE INTERESTING BECAUSE
OF HIS CURIOSITY ABOUT DOMESTIC AND VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE) WAS REALLY FASCINATED
BY HIS OWN HOUSE WITH THE BLACK FACADE AND THE SPECIAL INTERIOR OF THE SPACE ) FELT
4OYO )TO )TSUKO (ASEGAWA +AZUNARI 3AKAMOTO 9UZURU 4OMINAGA AMONG OTHERS ARE REGARDED AS
BELONGING TO THE SO CALLED 3HINOHARA SCHOOL *UN !OKI +IJO 2OKKAKU AND MANY OTHERS WORKED WITH
)SOZAKI IN HIS OFmCE BEFORE ESTABLISHING THEIR OWN ARCHITECTURAL mRMS
"/4/.$ "/'.!2
IT WAS PERFECTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE MODERN ARCHITECTURE OF THE S AND S ;mG
= (E WAS WORKING IN THE 2OPPONGI CAMPUS ;OF 4OKYO 5NIVERSITY= AND ) WAS THERE
FROM TO ) WENT WITH (ARA TO !FRICA IN ;YET ALREADY THERE= ) FELT THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ME AND HIM ;HE= PREFERRED THE DESERT ARCHITECTURE WITH STRONG FORM
AND STRONG PLAN
#ONSEQUENTLY DISCUSSING +UMAS ARCHITECTURE IN REGARD TO (ARAS THEORETICAL AND
PRACTICAL WORK HOWEVER REVEALING AND IMPORTANT CAN ONLY BE DONE WITHIN LIMITS
WHILE THE TWO ARCHITECTURES INTERSECT AT SPECImC POINTS THEY ARE AT THE SAME TIME
VERY DIFFERENT -OREOVER THE AMBITIONS THAT THE TWO HAVE COME TO SHAREAN EARLY
EXPERIMENTATION WITH FRAGMENTARY COMPOSITIONS A MANIFEST ATTRACTION TO THE VERNACULAR
AND A STRONG FASCINATION WITH THE PHENOMENAL AND VIRTUAL IN ARCHITECTURETHEY HAVE
EACH PURSUED IN THEIR DESIGNS IN THEIR OWN DISTINCT WAYS
%!2,9 7/2+3 &2!'-%.4!4)/.
4HE DEVELOPMENT OF +UMAS ARCHITECTURE HAS NEVERTHELESS BEEN ANYTHING BUT DIRECT
OR EVEN )NDEED HIS WORK HAS PROGRESSED THROUGH SEVERAL STAGES YIELDING STRIKINGLY
DIVERGENT MODES OF DESIGN 3OME OF THE CHANGES IN HIS WORK HAVE BEEN PROMPTED BY THE
CHANGING TIMES AND THEIR DIFFERENT CONDITIONS FOR ARCHITECTURAL PRODUCTION WHILE OTHERS
HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF NEW INnUENCES AND +UMAS CONSCIOUS DECISIONS AND SHIFTING
VIEWS WITHIN HIS ADVANCEMENT AS AN ARCHITECT 3INCE HIS DEBUT ON THE STAGE OF *APANESE
ARCHITECTURE IN THE LATE S HE HAS EXPLORED THE POTENTIAL BENEmTS OF STYLISTIC
POSTMODERNISM FRAGMENTARY COMPOSITIONS SUBTERRANEAN CONSTRUCTIONS THE UNCOMMON
APPLICATION OF MATERIALS FEATURES OF TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE AND THE VERNACULAR ECOLOGY
AND NATURE PHENOMENOLOGY THE USE OF MEDIA AND OTHER DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND THE
EVOCATION OF LIGHTNESS TOGETHER WITH ENGENDERING THE VIRTUAL IN ARCHITECTURAL SPACE
! COMMON THEME IN THESE DIVERGENT IDEAS HAS BEEN +UMAS STRONG TENDENCY TOWARD
MINIMALISM WITHIN HIS iULTIMATE AIM TO @ERASE ARCHITECTUREw
#RITICS LESS FAVORABLY DISPOSED TO THIS CONSTANT CHANGE HAVE CRITICIZED +UMAS ATTITUDE
AS MERELY TRYING TO BE ALWAYS POLITICALLY CORRECT OR LACKING PERSONAL CONVICTION AND
CONSISTENCY WHEREAS OTHERS HAVE PRAISED HIS ARCHITECTURE AS BEING HIGHLY SENSITIVE
AND RESPONSIVE 4HE ISSUE HOWEVER IS MORE COMPLEX THAN THESE TWO EXTREME POSITIONS
SUGGEST 7HILE ONE MAY CRITICIZE A FREQUENT AND RUSHED PURSUIT OF CHANGE THAT IS
UNDERTAKEN SIMPLY FOR THE SAKE OF NOVELTY IT IS IMPORTANT TO STATE THAT THE MERE FACT OF
AN ARCHITECT CHANGING DIRECTIONS OR PURSUING MULTIPLE APPROACHES TO DESIGN SHOULD NOT IN
ITSELF BE A REASON FOR CRITICISM 2ATHER IT SHOULD BE THE QUALITY OF THE WORK RESULTING
FROM SUCH CHANGES THAT IS THOROUGHLY SCRUTINIZED AND JUDGED IN THE CONTEXT OF SOCIETYS
NEEDS AND AS TO HOW WELL ITS INVESTED IDEAS BEYOND MEETING THE LOCAL CONDITIONS CAN
OBTAIN UNIVERSALITY
)NTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR -ARCH 4OKYO
+ENGO +UMA )NTRODUCTION TO THIS BOOK
5PON RETURNING FROM THE 5NITED 3TATES WHERE HE WAS A VISITING SCHOLAR AT #OLUMBIA
5NIVERSITY IN .EW 9ORK FROM TO +UMA ESTABLISHED HIS mRST 4OKYO OFmCE IN
!RMED WITH NEWLY ACQUIRED EXPERIENCES ABROAD AND IMMERSED IN 4OKYOS DYNAMIC
AND VASTLY POPULAR NEW URBANISM HE LIKE MANY OF HIS PEERS BECAME INTERESTED IN
EXPLORING NEW RESPONSES TO THE *APANESE CITY )NTENDING TO DESIGN STRUCTURES THAT mT INTO
THE CHAOTIC URBAN ENVIRONMENT HE OPTED FOR AN ARCHITECTURE OF FRAGMENTATION )N LIGHT
OF THE CONTRASTING WAYS IN WHICH +UMAS ARCHITECTURE HAS BEEN INTERPRETED IT IS
INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THIS CONCEPT WAS IMMEDIATELY EXPRESSED IN TWO DIAMETRICALLY
OPPOSITE WAYS )N +UMA COMPLETED HIS mRST JOB THE 3MALL "ATH (OUSE IN )ZU
WHICH REMAINS ONE OF HIS EARLY REMARKABLE DESIGNS AND WHOSE MANY FEATURES INCLUDING &)'
3-!,, "!4( (/53%
THE USE OF NATURAL MATERIALS SUCH AS WOOD AND BAMBOO WOULD RETURN IN SOME OF HIS +%.'/ +5-! ):5
LATER BUILDINGS !LTHOUGH NOT AS REmNED AS HIS MORE RECENT WORKS THIS PROJECT COMBINING
A PRIVATE RESIDENCE WITH A *APANESE BATH IS AN UNPRETENTIOUS CONSTRUCTION WITH A
SPATIAL AND FORMAL COMPOSITION THAT IS AS LIGHT AND REFRESHING AS IT IS NON MONUMENTAL
mG
)T IS PERHAPS NOT AN OVERSTATEMENT TO SAY THAT THIS WORK BY +UMA ECHOES THE SIMILARLY
FRAGMENTARY COMPOSITION OF (ARAS mRST WORK THE )TO (OUSE IN -ITAKA FROM
ALTHOUGH NO DIRECT INnUENCE CAN BE POINTED OUT +UMAS TWO SUBSEQUENT COMMISSIONS
CALLED FOR LARGER PROJECTS IN WHICH HIS STRATEGY OF FRAGMENTATION LED TO COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT RESULTS "OTH THE $ORIC AND THE - BUILDINGS COMPLETED IN 4OKYO IN
EMPLOY OVERSIZED ELEMENTS DERIVED FROM CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE AND ARE EXCEEDINGLY HEAVY
AND MONUMENTAL THEY HAVE BEEN SHAPED BY THE OVERLY HISTORICIZING GENRE OF !MERICAN
POSTMODERNISM AS DEmNED BY 2OBERT 6ENTURI 2OBERT ! - 3TERN AND -ICHAEL 'RAVES
! RATHER BIZARRE PIECE OF CONCRETE ARCHITECTURE THE - IS ESPECIALLY AND PARADOXICALLY
THE ULTIMATE BUILT MONUMENTAL OBJECT THAT +UMA ACCORDING TO HIS OWN CREDO WANTED TO
CHALLENGE AND DO AWAY WITH FROM THE OUTSET OF HIS CAREER mG 4HE TWO BUILDINGS
REPRESENT A LINE OF ARCHITECTURE IN +UMAS OEUVRE THAT HE FORTUNATELY HAS NOT FOLLOWED
EVER SINCE )N FACT HIS WORK SINCE THE EARLY S REVEALS IDEAS THAT STAND IN COMPLETE
CONTRAST TO THE MONUMENTAL HISTORICISM THAT SHAPED THESE TWO PROJECTS
.OT COUNTING THESE TWO DIVERGENT ARTICULATIONS OF ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENTATION THE mRST
&)'
MAJOR SHIFT IN +UMAS DESIGNS OCCURRED JUST AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE - "UILDING
- "5),$).' +%.'/ +5-!
4HERE MAY BE SEVERAL REASONS FOR THE TURNAROUND INCLUDING THE PLAUSIBLE ONE THAT +UMA 4/+9/
HIMSELF LEARNED A LESSON FROM THE LESS THAN SATISFACTORY RESULTS OF THESE TWO DESIGNS
!NOTHER EXPLANATION IS PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANT MANY OF THE CHANGES THAT STARTED ANDOR
CONTINUED TO TAKE PLACE IN *APAN DURING THE EARLY S WERE A MAJOR IMPETUS FOR +UMA
TO PURSUE HIS SEARCH FOR A PARADIGM THAT IS MORE BEmTTING TO CONTEMPORARY *APANA LESS
INTRUSIVE BUT MORE nEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE
+UMA DESIGNED THIS BUILDING WITH 3ATOKO 3HINOHARA OF 3PATIAL $ESIGN 3TUDIO
+UMA EXPLAINED THAT WHILE HE WAS AT #OLUMBIA 5NIVERSITY i)N !MERICAA #LASSICIST VOCABULARY WAS
RIGHTEOUS ITSELF (OWEVER THE USE OF #LASSICISM CANNOT OF COURSE JUSTIFY ANYTHING ) DONT THINK
BUILDING THE SAME THING EVERYWHERE IS GOODw (IROYUKI 3UZUKI AND +ENGO +UMA i! 2ETURN TO -ATERIALS w
4HE *APAN !RCHITECT 3UMMER
"/4/.$ "/'.!2
+UMAS DESIGN EXPLORATIONS FOLLOWED ONE ANOTHER IN RAPID SUCCESSION HIS NEW IDEAS
OFTEN COMPLEMENTING RATHER THAN REPLACING PREVIOUS ONES 3EVERAL OF HIS DESIGNS WERE
REPEATEDLY APPLIED AT DIFFERENT TIMES WITH +UMA ADAPTING THEM TO THE PARTICULAR
CIRCUMSTANCES OF EACH PROJECT -OREOVER MANY OF THESE STRATEGIES BEING INTIMATELY
INTERRELATED HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED WITHIN THE SAME PROJECT WHILE OTHERS HAVE PROVED
TO BE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE (IS GROWING AWARENESS OF AND RESPONSE TO THE LANDSCAPE AND
THE SITE FOR EXAMPLE HAVE BEEN ALMOST NATURALLY COUPLED WITH AN INCREASED INTEREST IN
NATURE AND NATURAL PHENOMENA !DDRESSING THESE ISSUES IN HIS DESIGNS HAS ALSO TURNED
+UMAS ATTENTION TO A NEW NOTION OF iGARDENINGw AND TO THE SIGNImCANCE OF ECOLOGICAL
ARCHITECTURE /N THE OTHER HAND HIS SIMPLE AND VERNACULAR
INSPIRED DESIGNS MORE OFTEN
THAN NOT PRECLUDE THE APPLICATION OF THE LATEST ELECTRONIC AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AS IS
THE CASE WITH THE .OH 3TAGE IN THE &OREST OR THE 4AKAYANAGI #OMMUNITY #ENTER
TO CITE BUT TWO EXAMPLES %ITHER WAY +UMAS ARCHITECTURE TODAY REnECTS ON AN
INCREASINGLY HIGH LEVEL BOTH THE NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE
POST
BUBBLE ERA IN *APAN
!&4%2 4(% "5"",% .%7 $)2%#4)/.3
4HE BURST OF THE BUBBLE AND THE FOLLOWING LONG
LASTING ECONOMIC STAGNATION ONCE AGAIN
CHANGED THE STAGE AND THE RULES FOR ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION IN *APAN 4ODAY
*APANESE ARCHITECTURE AS WELL AS THE COUNTRY IN GENERAL mNDS ITSELF IN THE PROCESS OF
SLOW RECOVERY AND NECESSARY TRANSITION UNDERLINING THE CLOSE RELATION OF ARCHITECTURE
TO THE SOCIAL POLITICAL CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC MILIEU IN WHICH IT OPERATES !S OPPOSED
TO THE EXCESSIVE EXUBERANCE OF THE S AND EARLY S THAT YIELDED NUMEROUS
REVOLUTIONARY DESIGNS THE MORE LIMITED MEANS THE DRASTICALLY REDUCED NUMBER OF
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND THE MUCH CHANGED MORE SOBER ATMOSPHERE IN THE COUNTRY NOW
REQUIRE A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE FROM DESIGNERS MORE RESTRAINT AN EMPHASIS ON ECONOMICAL
AND ECOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS A MORE SENSITIVE USE OF THE AVAILABLE AND INCREASINGLY
SOPHISTICATED TECHNOLOGIES IN ADDITION TO A RESPONSE TO THE NECESSITIES OF THE RAPIDLY
UNFOLDING NEW REALITIES IN *APANESE SOCIETY
#OINCIDING WITH THESE CONDITIONS IN *APAN IS THE GROWING GLOBAL TREND TO RETURN TO
THE MINIMAL AESTHETIC OF EARLY MODERNISM IF NOT TO ITS MONOLITHIC QUALITIES AFTER THE
EXHAUSTION OF POSTMODERNISMS OBSESSION WITH THE APPROPRIATION OF REPRESENTATIONAL
OR HISTORIC SIGNS IN ARCHITECTURE $RIVEN BY DIFFERENT FORCES AND ASPIRATIONS THE NEW
MINIMALISM IS CHARACTERIZED BY LIGHTNESS AND EPHEMERALITY !LL TOLD TODAYS ARCHITECTURE
IN *APAN DEVELOPING SUBTLE INNOVATIONS AS IT BUILDS UPON MUCH OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF
ITS PREDECESSORS IN THE MANNER OF A QUIET EVOLUTION IS LESS REVOLUTIONARY OR SUBVERSIVE
AS WAS THE .EW 7AVE MOVEMENT IN THE S
*APANESE SOCIETY TODAY IS UNDERGOING A RADICAL TRANSFORMATION THAT MANY ECONOMISTS SOCIOLOGISTS
POLITICIANS AND OTHERS CONSIDER AS SIGNImCANT AS THE -EIJI RESTORATION AND THE SUBSEQUENT MODERNIZATION
OF *APAN )N ADDITION TO THE AFTERMATH OF THE BURST OF THE BUBBLE ALONG WITH THE SHIFT FROM AN INDUSTRIAL
TO AN INFORMATION
BASED ECONOMY AND THE INROADS OF GLOBALIZATION *APAN IS PLAGUED BY THE INCREASING
DISPROPORTION BETWEEN ITS ELDERLY POPULATION AND THE SIMULTANEOUS SHRINKING OF THE BIRTH RATE !LL OF THESE
MATTERS HAVE PROFOUND IMPLICATIONS ON ISSUES SUCH AS LABOR CONDITIONS EDUCATION HEALTH CARE CULTURE
LIFESTYLES AND ARCHITECTURE
/N THE OTHER HAND THE ONSLAUGHT OF NEW DIGITAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AND THE
INVASION OF MEDIA INTO CONTEMPORARY LIFE CONTINUE TO ALTER THE WAYS SPACE IS PERCEIVED
USED AND INHABITED )N OTHER WORDS BEYOND THE CHANGING RULES AND MODES OF SOCIAL
INTERACTION WITHIN *APANS INFORMATION SOCIETY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PEOPLE AND
THEIR ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING AS WELL 4HIS IS MOST OBVIOUS IN THE CITIES WHERE MOBILITY
AND EPHEMERALITY HAVE EFFECTIVELY REPLACED STABILITY AND PERMANENCE 0EOPLE AS
iURBAN NOMADS w ARE CONSTANTLY ON THE MOVE WHILE BEING INVOLVED IN SEVERAL ACTIVITIES
SIMULTANEOUSLY !T THE SAME TIME THE RELENTLESS TRANSFORMATIONS OF THE URBAN FABRIC
ARE POINTING TOWARD A NEW URBANISM THAT CONTINUES TO BE CHAOTIC DEFYING THE PRINCIPLES
AND IDEOLOGIES OF MODERNISM 9ET PARADOXICALLY WHILE ARCHITECTUREAS MUCH AS
*APANESE SOCIETY ITSELFIS IN NEED OF MORE TRANSPARENCY THE CITY OR THE BUILT LANDSCAPE
AT LARGE DRIVEN BY AND OVERSATURATED WITH INFORMATION AND THE MEDIA IS BOTH RESTLESS
AND iOVEREXPOSED w AS 0AUL 6IRILIO HAS OBSERVED SEE mG
$UE TO THE RAPID PROGRESS AND ADVANCED STATE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES BOUNDARIES IN
TODAYS SOCIETY ARE BLURRED AND OFTEN COMPLETELY ERASED 7HILE HIERARCHIES ARE QUESTIONED
AND OBLITERATED THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE PRIVATE AND THE PUBLIC IS DISAPPEARING JUST
AS MUCH AS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN mGURE AND GROUND WITHIN THE URBAN FABRIC IS RENDERED
MEANINGLESS OR MADE IMPOSSIBLE 4HE INSTANTANEITY OF COMMUNICATION AND THE POSSIBILITY
OF iOCCUPYINGw A MULTIPLICITY OF SPACES SIMULTANEOUSLY HAVE NOW FURTHER ERODED THE
ESTABLISHED SENSE OF REALITY AND THE CONVENTIONAL NOTION OF PLACE )NDEED THE MORE THE
ELECTRONIC NETWORK SPREADS ACROSS THE WORLD THE MORE THE CONCEPT OF LOCALITY CHANGES ITS
SIGNImCANCE !CCORDINGLY WHAT HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN ACCEPTED AS REALITY IN RELATION TO
mCTIONAN ENDURING PREDICTABLE AND VERImABLE STATE OF AFFAIRSHAS TO BE REEVALUATED
TODAY IT IS OFTEN IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL APART THE REAL FROM THE VIRTUAL /R ONE MIGHT SAY THE
SENSE AND DEmNITION OF THE REAL HAS BEEN AND IS STILL BEING SHIFTED AT A MUCH FASTER
PACE THAN EVER BEFORE
!RCHITECTS HAVE REACTED TO THESE RAPIDLY UNFOLDING CHANGES AND THE ENSUING CHALLENGES
THEY FACE IN DIFFERENT WAYS THUS POLARIZING THE mELD OF ARCHITECTURAL PRODUCTION /N ONE
END ARE THOSE WHO LOOK UPON THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS WITH AN EXPLICITLY NEGATIVE ATTITUDE
OR COMPLETE DISREGARD IMMERSED IN A TENACIOUS NOSTALGIA FOR THE PAST ON THE OTHER
END ARE THOSE WHO HAVE WHOLEHEARTEDLY BUT UNCRITICALLY EMBRACED THE NOVELTIES THE
NEW INFORMATION AGE OFFERS "ETWEEN THESE TWO EXTREMES STANDS A GROWING NUMBER OF
i5RBAN NOMADw IS A TERM USED IN 'ILLES $ELEUZE AND &ELIX 'UATTARI ! 4HOUSAND 0LATEAUS TRANS "RIAN
-ASSUMI -INNEAPOLIS 5NIVERSITY OF -INNESOTA 0RESS
0AUL 6IRILIO ,OST $IMENSION TRANS $ANIEL -OSHENBERG .EW 9ORK 3EMIOTEXTE o 6IRILIO
OBSERVED THAT THE MEDIA SCREEN HAS BECOME THE CITY SQUARE THE PUBLIC FORUM
)T HAS TO BE NOTED THAT OUR SENSE AND UNDERSTANDING OF REALITY HAVE ALWAYS CHANGED ACCORDING TO THE
MANY FACTORS THAT SHAPE EVERYDAY LIFE AND OUR PERCEPTION OF OURSELVES IN IT 7HAT IS DIFFERENT TODAY IS
THE COMPLEX NATURE OF THE CONDITIONING FORCES AND THE INCREASINGLY FAST PACE WITH WHICH THEY IMPACT
HUMAN LIFE 4RADITIONAL /RIENTAL PHILOSOPHIES INCLUDING "UDDHISM INTERPRETED REALITY AS A NON
DUAL
CONDITION IN WHICH ALL DISTINCTIONS MERGE !CCORDINGLY IMAGINATION DREAMS AND ALL INTANGIBLE
PHENOMENA ARE ALSO PART OF OUR PERCEIVED REALITY
"/4/.$ "/'.!2
*APANESE DESIGNERS WHO ACKNOWLEDGE THE INEVITABILITY AS WELL AS THE EMERGING POTENTIALS
OF THE NEW STATE OF AFFAIRS IN TODAYS SOCIETY WHILE BEARING IN MIND THE MANY PITFALLS THAT
COME WITH ITTHE EASY AND FREQUENTLY CHEAP SEDUCTIONS AND BANALITIES AS WELL AS THE
MANY UNCONTROLLED EXCESSES
4HESE ARCHITECTS ACCEPT AS NEW REALITY THE FACT THAT TODAYS SOCIETY OPERATES IN DIFFERENT
WAYS AS IT IS SHAPED BY MUCH MORE COMPLEX FORCES THAN BEFORE 4HEY SEEK TO ENGAGE
THESE NEW CONDITIONS BY DISCOVERING AND UTILIZING THEIR MEANS IN ARCHITECTURE )N
OTHER WORDS THESE ARCHITECTS SHARE IN MORE THAN ONE WAY THE ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS AND
PREDICTION OF )GNASI DE 3OLÇ
-ORALES WHO WROTE
4HE PLACES OF PRESENT
DAY ARCHITECTURE CANNOT REPEAT THE PERMANENCIES PRODUCED
BY THE FORCE OF THE 6ITRUVIAN lRMITAS 4HE EFFECTS OF DURATION STABILITY AND
DEmANCE OF TIMES PASSING ARE NOW IRRELEVANT 4HE IDEA OF PLACE AS THE CULTIVATION
AND MAINTENANCE OF THE ESSENTIAL AND THE PROFOUND OF A GENIUS LOCI IS NO LONGER
CREDIBLE IN AN AGE OF AGNOSTICISM IT BECOMES REACTIONARY 9ET THE LOSS OF THESE
ILLUSIONS NEED NOT NECESSARILY RESULT IN A NIHILISTIC ARCHITECTURE OF NEGATION
&ROM A THOUSAND DIFFERENT SITES THE PRODUCTION OF PLACE CONTINUES TO BE POSSIBLE
.OT AS A REVELATION OF SOMETHING EXISTING IN PERMANENCE BUT AS THE PRODUCTION
OF AN EVENT
+ENGO +UMA BELONGS TO THIS LATTER GROUP OF ARCHITECTS 2EALIZING THAT THE REQUIREMENTS
OF THE INFORMATION AGE AND THE RAPIDLY TRANSFORMING *APANESE SOCIETY CANNOT BE MET BY
THE MODERNIST OR POSTMODERNIST PARADIGMS OF ARCHITECTURE +UMA HAS BEEN ADVOCATING
NOTHING LESS THAN THE ERASURE OF ARCHITECTURE WITH AND WITHIN HIS WORK 4AKEN AT FACE
VALUE SUCH INTENTION WOULD AMOUNT TO AN UTMOST PARADOX IN ORDER TO RENEW OR SAVE
ARCHITECTURE IT HAS TO BE DONE AWAY WITH %VEN IF THE STATEMENT IS NOT TO BE TAKEN
LITERALLY AS SURELY IS THE CASE THE QUESTION REMAINS WHAT DOES +UMA MEAN BY iERASINGw
ARCHITECTURE OR MORE IMPORTANTLY HOW DOES HE ACHIEVE THIS GOAL IN HIS DESIGNS !S IS
EXPECTED +UMAS WORK IN SEARCH FOR A NEW PARADIGM OF PLACE AND ARCHITECTURE PROVIDES
US WITH NOT ONE BUT A MULTIPLICITY OF ANSWERS
2EVIEWING THE RESULTS OF HIS - "UILDING +UMA CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT
iWHETHER OR NOT A WORK DISAPPEARS DEPENDS NOT ON THE STATE OF CHAOS OF THE WORK IN
QUESTION BUT ON THE DIRECTION AND FRAME OF VISION OF THE PERSON DOING THE EXTRACTINGw
)N OTHER WORDS ANY PART OF A CONTINUOUSLY CHAOTIC PHENOMENONSUCH AS A BUILDING
IN ITS ENVIRONMENTWHEN VIEWED FROM THE POSITION OF AN OUTSIDER IS BOUND TO BE
FRAMED OR EXTRACTED AND SO IS TURNED INTO A DISCRETE OBJECT THAT WOULD STAND OUT FROM
ITS CONTEXT
+UMA SOON REALIZED THAT IT WAS WRONG TO PROCEED WITH THE POSITION OF AN OUTSIDER
IN MIND CREATING AN OBJECT AND THEN TRYING TO MAKE IT DISAPPEAR OR BLEND INTO ITS
ENVIRONMENT (E COMMENTED UPON THIS WITH THE FOLLOWING WORDS i7HEN ) DESIGNED THE
)GNASI DE 3OLÇ -ORALES $IFFERENCES AS QUOTED IN THE (ARVARD $ESIGN -AGAZINE &ALL
+ENGO +UMA i$IGITAL 'ARDENING w 3PACE $ESIGN .OVEMBER
- "UILDING) BELIEVED THAT IF ) CREATED AN ARCHITECTURE OF FRAGMENTATION THE BUILDING
WOULD DISSOLVE AND BLEND INTO THE CHAOS THAT SURROUNDED ITw (E ADDED ELSEWHERE
i"ETWEEN AND MY APPROACH TO THE DESIGN OF ARCHITECTURE WAS BASED ON THAT
IDEAw )N LATER DESIGNS HE BEGAN TO REVERSE THE DIRECTION OF VIEWINGTHAT IS TO SAY HE
TRIED TO ENGENDER AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE PERCEIVER WOULD ALWAYS BE IN THE POSITION
OF AN INSIDER /NE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH HE ACHIEVED THIS WAS BY BLURRING THE DISTINCTION
BETWEEN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE 9ET HE WENT EVEN FURTHER QUESTIONING THE PRIMACY OF VISION
IN PERCEIVING THE ENVIRONMENT A NOTION THAT WAS TO HAVE BROAD IMPLICATIONS ON HIS
SUBSEQUENT DESIGNS
2%452. 4/ 4(% ,!.$ "529).' !2#()4%#452%
!FTER THE EARLY S +UMA BEGAN TO INVESTIGATE ARCHITECTURES RELATIONSHIP TO ITS
ENVIRONMENT STATING i) TRY TO LISTEN AS CAREFULLY AS POSSIBLE TO THE SITEw 4O PREVENT THE
ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURE FROM INTRUDING ON THE SITE AND TO REMOVE IT FROM SIGHT HIS mRST
AND SIMPLEST SOLUTION WAS TO BURY IT IN OR COVER IT WITH THE LAND 7ITH THIS NEW APPROACH
TO DESIGN THE PURSUIT OF FRAGMENTARY COMPOSITIONS DISAPPEARED FROM +UMAS WORK TO BE
REPLACED BY MUCH SIMPLER MORE MINIMALIST MODELS OF ARCHITECTURE
4HE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPLEMENT THIS NEW DESIGN DIRECTION WAS PROVIDED BY +UMAS
COMMISSION TO DESIGN THE +IRO
SAN /BSERVATORY WHICH HE COMPLETED ON A SMALL ISLAND
&)'
NORTH OF )MABARI #ITY IN )NSTEAD OF CROWNING THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN WITH A +)2/
3!. /"3%26!4/29 +%.'/
+5-! 9/3()5-)
COMMON TOWERLIKE STRUCTURE HE EMBEDDED THE BUILDING IN A CREVICE AT THE TOP OF THE
MOUNTAIN WITH ONLY TWO PLATFORMS PROJECTING FROM IT #OMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT WITH
A HIDDEN PASSAGE SLENDER BRIDGES AND A WIDE STAIRWAY THAT DOUBLES AS A SEATING AREA
FOR AD
HOC PERFORMANCES +UMA SUCCEEDED IN CONmGURING AN UNUSUAL BUT SUCCESSFUL
SOLUTION WHEREIN ARCHITECTURE LITERALLY DISAPPEARS mG (E FOLLOWED THE SAME
APPROACH IN SEVERAL OTHER PROJECTS THAT ALLOWED FOR A SUBTERRANEAN ARCHITECTURE
)N HIS PROPOSAL FOR THE NEW *APAN -USEUM IN 4OKYO THE LARGE COMPLEX IS SUNKEN
ENTIRELY INTO THE GROUND IN THE 3HIODOME AREA WHICH WAS A VACATED TRAIN YARD AT THAT
TIME !RTICULATED WITH PARALLEL ROWS OF LARGE GLASS PANES AND SKYLIGHTS THE STRUCTURE IS
ORGANIZED ALONG AN AUTOMATED TRANSPORTATION NETWORK INSIDE FEATURING SMALL COMPUTER
CONTROLLED UNITS SO
CALLED iART VEHICLESw 4HIS PROJECT IS THUS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF
+UMAS UNDERGROUND ARCHITECTURE AS WELL AS HIS mRST WORK THAT ADHERES NOT ONLY TO A
SIMPLE MINIMALISM WITH A HIGH
TECH NETWORK BUT ALSO TO A RIGOROUS EVEN RIGID SPATIAL
AND FORMAL SYSTEM +UMAS +ANSAI
KAN .ATIONAL $IET ,IBRARY COMPETITION ENTRY OF
WAS CONCEIVED ALONG SIMILAR IDEAS ALTHOUGH HERE THE LARGE SLANTING ROOF OF THE BUILDING
TILTED INTO THE LAND !LTERNATING WITH EXTENSIVE SKYLIGHTS ARE TREE
LINED GREEN AREAS ON
)NTRODUCTION TO THIS BOOK
+UMA i$ITIGAL 'ARDENING w
3UZUKI AND +UMA i! 2ETURN TO -ATERIALS w 4HE *APAN !RCHITECT 3UMMER
"/4/.$ "/'.!2
THE ROOF FORMING A SMALL PARK WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO THE DESIGN OF AN ARCHITECTURE THAT IS
SHAPED AS A CAREFULLY TEXTURED CONTINUATION OF THE NATURAL LAND
4HE COMBINATION OF NATURAL SETTING AND HIGH TECHNOLOGY IS ALSO AT THE CENTER OF ANOTHER
UNREALIZED SCHEME THE -EMORIAL 0ARK OF DEDICATED TO THE LATE EMPLOYEES OF A
PRIVATE COMPANY IN 'UMMA 0REFECTURE 3UNKEN INTO THE GROUND THE PARK ESSENTIALLY
A SMALL GARDEN IS ORGANIZED ALONG SLOPING PATHS LINED WITH GLASS PANES ETCHED WITH
THE NAMES OF THE DECEASED )N ADDITION INTERACTIVE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY IS EMPLOYED
TO EVOKE MEMORIES OF THE DEAD 4HE SPATIAL DESIGN BRINGS TO MIND -AYA ,INS POWERFUL
6IETNAM -EMORIAL IN 7ASHINGTON $# WHICH USES A SIMILARLY MINIMALIST
ARRANGEMENT !LTHOUGH THE LIGHTNESS AND NON
MONUMENTALITY OF +UMAS SCHEME PROVIDE
A MEANINGFUL ALTERNATIVE TO ,INS HEAVIER STONE MEMORIAL ITS PLANNED MULTIMEDIA
SIMULATION SURELY A NEW IDEA COULD HAVE RUN THE RISK OF TURNING THE ACT OF REMEMBERING
INTO A LESS THAN SOLEMN EXPERIENCE
4HERE IS NO SUCH RISK INVOLVED AT THE +ITAKAMI #ANAL -USEUM WHICH IN ITS UNDERGROUND
&)' EXHIBITION SPACE ALSO USES INTERACTIVE COMPUTER MONITORS AND VIDEO FOOTAGE TO INTRODUCE
+)4!+!-) #!.!, -53%5- +%.'/ THE CANALS OF THE WORLD TO THE VISITORS $ESIGNED AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS THE -EMORIAL
+5-! )3()./-+!)
0ARK AND COMPLETED IN THE MUSEUM IS BURROWED COMPLETELY IN THE EMBANKMENT
OF THE +ITAKAMI 2IVER AND COVERED BY A PARK WITH VEGETATION AND A PEDESTRIAN PATH
)N ADDITION TO PROTECTING THE LANDSCAPE +UMAS CAREFUL OPENING OF THE MUSEUMS
UPPER LEVEL TOWARD THE VIEW OF THE RIVER AND THE NEARBY CANAL IS AN EFFECTIVE EXAMPLE
OF THE MUSEUMS SECOND THEMETHE NEED FOR AND POSSIBILITY OF NURTURING A JUDICIOUS
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAN
MADE STRUCTURES AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT mG
'IVEN THEIR SITE CONDITIONS THESE COMPLETED UNDERGROUND PROJECTS IMPRESSIVELY
PRESENT SIMPLE AND HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL IF NOT ENTIRELY NEW SOLUTIONS 6ARIATIONS OF
SUBTERRANEAN ARCHITECTURE HAVE BEEN CREATED SINCE THE EARLY TIMES OF HUMAN CIVILIZATION
4HEY WERE ALSO EXPLORED BY THE *APANESE .EW 7AVE AS WELL AS BY SEVERAL ARCHITECTS SUCH
AS !NDO AND 4AKAMATSU IN MANY OF THEIR MORE RECENT WORKS INCLUDING RESPECTIVELY
THE 'ARDEN OF &INE !RTS OF AND THE (IGASHI
(ONGANJI 2ECEPTION (ALL OF
BOTH IN +YOTO !MONG THE EARLIER EXAMPLES 4AKEFUMI !IDAS iARCHITECTURE OF SILENCEw
FROM THE S COMES TO MIND ONE OF HIS UTMOST MINIMALIST DESIGNS 3ILENCE WAS
UNDERSTOOD BY !IDA AS iNEGATIVE COMMUNICATIONw AND AS A PARTICULAR FUNCTION OF
ARCHITECTURE AS LANGUAGE !IDAS INVESTIGATIONS OF THIS IDEA INCLUDED THE UNDERGROUND
DESIGN OF THE 0, )NSTITUTE +INDERGARTEN OF WHOSE PLAIN TRUNCATED PYRAMIDAL
VOLUME WAS COVERED ENTIRELY BY EARTH AND GRASS mG 4HE COMPARISON BETWEEN THIS
BUILDING AND +UMAS PROJECTS UNDERSCORES THE FACT THAT DISPARATE THEORIES OR IDEOLOGIES
CAN OFTEN LEAD TO SIMILAR IF NOT IDENTICAL STRATEGIES AND RESULTS 9ET IT IS TO +UMAS
&)'
0, +).$%2'!24%. 4!+%&5-) !)$!
CREDIT THAT HE WAS ABLE TO ENRICH THE ANCIENT BUT CONTINUING GENRE OF SUBTERRANEAN
4/.$!"!9!3() ARCHITECTURE WITH ATTRACTIVE NEW DIMENSIONS
6)35!, !-")'5)49 ',!33
+UMAS 7ATER'LASS PROJECT A COMPANY GUESTHOUSE IN !TAMI IS THE mRST
INSTANCE OF HIS NEXT APPROACH TO ERASING ARCHITECTURE )MPRESSIVELY IT IS DESIGNED IN
A WAY THAT MAKES IT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO EXPERIENCE ANY OF ITS ELEVATIONS "UILT ON A
SMALL BUT STEEP SITE ON THE HILLS OF !TAMI THE BUILDING REVEALS ONLY ITS ENTRY ELEVATION TO
THE OUTSIDE BUT EVEN THIS ELEVATION PRESENTS MERELY A BLANK WALL AS ITS FACADE )N OTHER
WORDS THE OUTER APPEARANCE BECOMES IRRELEVANT IN THIS PROJECT (ERE +UMA WAS ABLE
ALMOST BY DEFAULT TO ACHIEVE HIS EARLIER GOAL OF PROVIDING ONLY INTERIOR VIEWS OF BOTH
INNER AND OUTER LANDSCAPES THAT ARE FRAMED BY HIS ARCHITECTURE
9ET IN THIS TRULY SPECTACULAR BUILDING WITH ITS BREATHTAKING VIEWS OF THE VAST SEA BELOW
AND THE CHANGING SPECTRUM OF LIGHT WITHIN EVEN THIS FRAMING IS LARGELY DONE AWAY WITH
/NE
STORY
HIGH GLASS SURFACES CONNECT THE INTERIOR EFFORTLESSLY WITH THE SURROUNDING POOL
OF WATER ON THE ROOF DECK BELOW WHOSE SURFACE JOINS BY VISUAL EXTENSION THAT OF THE SEA
AND THE HORIZON BEYOND 3EEMINGLY nOATING OVER THIS POOL OF WATER THE OVAL
SHAPED GLASS
LOUNGE ON THE THIRD nOOR ENHANCES THE SENSE OF OPENNESS AND WEIGHTLESSNESS mG
$ESPITE THIS SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE MODERNIST ARRANGEMENT THE 7ATER'LASS GUESTHOUSE IS
AN ECLECTIC BUILDING INSOFAR AS THE OTHER TWO LEVELS ARE DESIGNED IN A DIFFERENT GENRE THAT
COMPOUNDS THE USE OF GLASS AND WATER WITH VARIOUS REFERENCES TO TRADITIONAL *APANESE
INTERIORS 2ATHER THAN DIMINISHING THE DESIGN HOWEVER THIS MASTERFUL JUXTAPOSITION
ACTUALLY ENHANCES THE PROJECT WHILE RETAINING ITS DELIGHTFUL OVERALL LIGHTNESS
5SING BOTH WATER AND GLASS IN SIGNImCANT WAYS THIS PROJECT IS ALSO THE mRST IN +UMAS &)'
7!4%2'!,33 '5%34(/53% +%.'/ +5-!
UVRE TO ESTABLISH A SPECImC DESIGN THEME AS INDICATED BY THE NAME OF THE BUILDING !4!-)
-ANY OF HIS SUBSEQUENT DESIGNS HAVE BEEN SIMILARLY GUIDED BY SUCH OVERARCHING THEMES
WITH THEIR NAMES REFERRING TO THE SITE THE USED MATERIAL OR A DESIGN ISSUE SUCH AS THE
2IVER&ILTER 7OOD3LATS 3EA&ILTER 7ATER3LATS AND &OREST&LOOR TO NAME A FEW
'LASS IN ADDITION TO NUMEROUS OTHER MATERIALS PLAYS A SIGNImCANT ROLE IN +UMAS
iDISAPPEARINGw ARCHITECTURE 4HE INCREASED AND EXCLUSIVE USE OF GLASS IS A GENERAL
TENDENCY TODAY AND IS NOT LIMITED TO *APANESE ARCHITECTURE 4HERE ARE TWO REASONS FOR
THE NEW POPULARITY OF GLASS mRSTLY ALTHOUGH GLASS HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF
ARCHITECTURE FOR A LONG TIME THERE ARE NOW MANY NEW GLASS PRODUCTS TO CHOOSE FROM
SECONDLY ARCHITECTS TODAY ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT GLASS IS ALWAYS CAUGHT
UP BETWEEN THE VARIOUS PHENOMENA THAT TAKE PLACE ON ITS TWO SIDES AND ARE EAGER TO
EXPERIMENT WITH A NEW TYPE OF TRANSPARENCY WHILE DEVELOPING INCREASINGLY AMBIGUOUS
DEmNITIONS OF ENCLOSURE 5NLIKE THE PREVIOUS MODERNIST USE OF GLASS THE NEW MODE
ENGENDERS A PARADOXICAL OPAQUE TRANSPARENCY WITH GLASS REVEALING AS MUCH AS
CONCEALING DEPENDING ON SHIFTING INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR CONDITIONS 'LASS MORE THAN
EVER BEFORE IS CAREFULLY YET DELIBERATELY USED AS A iVIRTUALw SURFACE ON WHICH EVENTS ARE
INSCRIBED AS THEY ARE REnECTED ON ANDOR mLTERED THROUGH IT !S ACTIVE BUT CONSTANTLY
VARIABLE AGENTS OF SUCH TRANSACTIONS THESE GLASS SURFACES CONTRIBUTE TO THE nUID AND
nUCTUATING QUALITY OF SPACE WHICH THEY HELP TO SIMULTANEOUSLY EVOKE AND ERASE !S A
RESULT BOUNDARIES ARE BLURRED NOT ONLY BETWEEN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE BUT ALSO BETWEEN
WHAT IS PERCEIVED AS REAL AND VIRTUAL
"/4/.$ "/'.!2
!MONG THE *APANESE ARCHITECTS WHO EXPERIMENT WITH GLASS +UMAS EARLY MENTOR
(IROSHI (ARA NEEDS TO BE SINGLED OUT AGAIN AS ONE OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN MOST
ACTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL IN THIS REGARD (IS DESIGNS FOR THE 4ASAKI -USEUM OF !RT
+ENJU 0ARK &OREST (OUSE AND 9AMATO )NTERNATIONAL BOTH AS WELL AS THE 9UKIAN
4EA (OUSE AND )IDA #ITY -USEUM BOTH ARE THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THIS TREND
IN HIS ARCHITECTURE mG +UMAS 7ATER'LASS PROJECT BENEmTED MUCH FROM THE
SPECIAL APPLICATION OF GLASS AND HE HAS CONTINUED TO USE GLASS IN LATER PROJECTS THE
MOST PROMINENT AMONG THEM BEING THE 'LASS3HADOW A GOLF CLUB IN 4OMIOKA -IYAGI
0REFECTURE THE 'RASS'LASS 4OWER PROJECT IN 4OKYO THE !WAJI 3ERVICE
!REA IN (YOGO 0REFECTURE THE 3AKUSHIN 'AKUIN 5NIVERSITY IN 5TSUNOMIYA 4OCHIGI
&)' 0REFECTURE THE .ASU (ISTORY -USEUM mG AND THE -USEUM OF !NDO (IROSHIGE IN
+%.*5 0!2+ &/2%34 (/53% "ATO 4OCHIGI 0REFECTURE ALL FROM AND THE REDESIGN OF THE 3HIBUYA 3TATION FACADE
()2/3() (!2! .!+!.))$!
IN 4OKYO
&),4%2%$ 30!#%
)T SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IN ALL OF THESE PROJECTS OTHER DESIGN STRATEGIES HAVE
COMPLEMENTED THE EFFECTS OF GLASS TO HEIGHTEN THE AMBIGUOUS EVOCATION OF BOTH
ENCLOSURE AND SPATIAL EXPERIENCE AND IN SO DOING CONTRIBUTING TOWARD THE ERASURE
OF ARCHITECTURE /NE OF THESE STRATEGIES HAS BEEN THE USE OF A LARGE NUMBER OF THIN
ELEMENTS OR SLATS AS A MEANS OF PARTITIONING BETWEEN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OR BETWEEN
OTHER SPATIAL UNITS 4HE HANDLING OF THESE REPETITIVE ELEMENTS MADE UP OF VARIOUS
&)' MATERIALS SUCH AS METAL PLASTIC BAMBOO AND WOOD HAS BECOME SO IMPORTANT IN
.!35 ()34/29 -53%5- ).4%
2)/2 +%.'/ +5-! .!35 +UMAS ARCHITECTURE THAT HE EVEN COINED A NEW WORD FOR IT iPARTICLIZATIONw
+UMA UNDERSTANDS HIS SLAT ARRANGEMENTS NOT AS AN ADDITIVE OR CUMULATIVE USE OF THIN
ELEMENTS BUT RATHER AS THE OPPOSITE THE UNImED AND MONOLITHIC ENTITY OF A PARTICULAR
MATERIAL IS BROKEN DOWN INTO ITS ELEMENTARY PARTICLES 3UCH DISCONTINUOUS CONTINUITY OF A
MATERIAL IS THEN EXPRESSED IN A VARIETY OF THIN SCREENS OR mLTERS 4HE SLATS mRST APPEARED
IN HIS ARCHITECTURE ONLY PARTIALLY IN THE FORM OF HORIZONTAL STAINLESS
STEEL LOUVERS AS
SEEN FOR EXAMPLE IN THE 7ATER'LASS GUESTHOUSE WHERE SUCH LOUVERS ARE USED UNDER
THE MULTILAYERED GLASS ROOF OF THE OVAL LOUNGE AND AS PART OF THE OVERHANGING ROOF ABOVE
THE WATER SURFACES IN FRONT OF THE THIRD
nOOR GUEST ROOMS 'LITTERING IN THE SUNSHINE AND
REnECTED IN BOTH THE GLASS AND WATER SURFACES WHILE mLTERING LIGHT AND VIEWS OF THE SKY
IN VARIOUS DEGREES THESE LOUVERS BRING ABOUT ONE OF THE MOST VIBRANT AND ELUSIVE SPATIAL
PHENOMENA 2ATHER THAN CREATING A PHYSICAL ENTITY OR OBJECT IN THIS PROJECT +UMA WAS
ABLE TO DESIGN ARCHITECTURE AS ATMOSPHERE
4HE +ITAKAMI #ANAL -USEUM SHOWS A SIMILAR SOLUTION 4HE CANOPY OVER THE ARCHED
GLASS FACADE AND ENTRANCE AS WELL AS MUCH OF THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR PARTITIONS AND
BENCHES ARE MADE OF THIN STAINLESS
STEEL RODS 4HE APPLICATION OF METAL LOUVERS BECAME
MORE EXTENSIVE IN THE 'LASS3HADOW PROJECT WHERE ITS INTENDED PURPOSE WAS EVEN MORE
+ENGO +UMA i2ELATIVITY OF -ATERIALS w 4HE *APAN !RCHITECT 3UMMER
SO THAN BEFORE TO iDE EMPHASIZE THE SOLIDITY OF ARCHITECTURE AND REPLACE IT WITH THE
TRANSPARENCY OF A nOATING IMAGE OF GLASS w AS +UMA STATED mG
7HEN OPPORTUNITY ALLOWED +UMA TURNED TO THE NATURAL MATERIALS OF WOOD AND BAMBOO FOR
THE DESIGN OF HIS SLATS 3UCH WAS THE CASE IN BUILDINGS THAT BY NATURE OF THEIR PROGRAMS
WERE MORE TRADITIONAL 4HE mRST OF THESE COMMISSIONS WAS A *APANESE NOODLE SHOP AND
RESTAURANT ALONG A SMALL RIVER IN &UKUSHIMA 0REFECTURE 4HIS BUILDING THE 2IVER&ILTER
WAS FOLLOWED BY THE .OH 3TAGE IN THE &OREST THE 7OOD3LATS A SMALL
GUEST HOUSE IN (AYAMA AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE -USEUM OF !NDO (IROSHIGE
IN "ATO
MACHI AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS THEREAFTER )N SOME OF THESE DESIGNS THE
&)'
USE OF WOODEN SLATS IS ONLY PARTIAL BUT IN OTHERS SUCH AS THE 7OOD3LATS AND (IROSHIGE ',!333(!$/7 '/,& #,5" (/53% +%.'/
+5-! 4/-)/+!
-USEUM IT IS SO EXTENSIVE THAT PRACTICALLY THE ENTIRE BUILDING IS CONmGURED OF THE SLATS
)N ALL OF THESE PROJECTS +UMA RELIES ON REPETITION BOTH IN TERMS OF THE REPEATED USE OF
ONE LINEAR ELEMENT AND IN TERMS OF STRATEGYMANY OF HIS BUILDINGS ARE CONCEIVED WITH
THE USE OF SLATS AND IN SOME CASES WITH OVERWHELMING INTENSITY
(IS LARGE
SCALE APPLICATION OF SLATS AND THE FURTHER IMPLICATIONS OF iPARTICLIZATIONw
SHOULD BE SEEN IN RELATION TO +UMAS GOAL OF ERASING ARCHITECTURE "REAKING DOWN THE
MATERIAL SURFACES OF A BUILDING IN THIS WAY RENDERS ITS BOUNDARIES AS VARIOUS SCREENS
WHICH mLTER THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE STRUCTURE AS IS
MOST POIGNANTLY DEMONSTRATED BY THE 2IVER&ILTER PROJECT 7OODEN SCREENS WOVEN
WITH DIFFERENT DENSITIES MAKE UP THE BUILDINGS VARIABLY LAYERED FACADES ENSURING
THAT THE ARCHITECTURAL SPACE IS CONTINUOUS WITH THE SURROUNDING NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
IN AN AMBIGUOUS MANNER 4HE ARCHITECTURE OPENS TO THE OUTSIDETHE RIVER AND THE
LANDSCAPE BEYONDBUT IS ALSO PROTECTED FROM THE WESTERN SUN WHILE PROVIDING
PRIVACY WHERE NECESSARY !S NATURAL PHENOMENA ARE mLTERED INTO THE BUILDING SPACE
IS ACTIVATED IN A CONSTANTLY SHIFTING MANNER 4HIS IS PARTICULARLY THE CASE WITH LIGHT
WHICH IS SIMULTANEOUSLY TRANSMITTED AND INTERCEPTED AS IT IS CAUGHT UP ON THE SCREENS
ILLUMINATING THEIR DELICATE TEXTURE $EPENDING ON THE LIGHT CONDITIONS THE SLATS ALTER THEIR
PRESENCE APPEARING AND DISAPPEARING OVER THE COURSE OF A DAY +UMAS PARTICLIZATION
THUS UNDERMINES THE MONOLITHIC AND OBJECTLIKE APPEARANCE OF ARCHITECTURE WHICH NOW
LESS DEmNITIVE OR SOLID EMERGES AS MORE PERMEABLE PHENOMENAL AND EPHEMERAL
'REGG ,YNN BORROWING THE TERMINOLOGY FROM A NINETEENTH CENTURY TECHNIQUE OF PAINTING
PARTICULARLY THAT OF 'EORGES 3EURAT o AND 0AUL 3IGNAC o
CALLED +UMAS DENSE SURFACE TEXTURING A FORM OF iPOINTILLISMw ! MORE APPROPRIATE
CONTEMPORARY ANALOGY HOWEVER IS PIXILATION OR DIGITIZATION ALTHOUGH +UMAS FACADES
AND OTHER SURFACES CAN EQUALLY REMIND US OF THE NOW WIDELY USED BARCODES )N EITHER
CASE THE RESULT OF +UMAS MODUS OPERANDI OF PARTICLIZATION IS NOT UNLIKE THE WORKINGS
OF THE COMPUTER AND ITS DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES !CCORDINGLY THESE BUILDINGS ARE
COMPARABLE TO LOW RESOLUTION PRINTS OF IMAGES THAT ARE INCREASINGLY OUT OF FOCUS OR
IN THE PROCESS OF FADING +UMA SEEMS TO PRESENT US WITH A FRAGILE ARCHITECTURE THAT
CANTHEORETICALLY AT LEASTDISSIPATE LIKE A CLOUD AND BECOME CONTINUOUS OR ONE WITH
+ENGO +UMA i'LASS3HADOW w 3PACE $ESIGN
'REGG ,YNN i0OINTILLISM w 3PACE $ESIGN
"/4/.$ "/'.!2
THE LANDSCAPE !S +UMA HAS CONTINUED ON THE ROAD TO DISSOLVING HIS ARCHITECTURE
HE HAS GRADUALLY NEUTRALIZED THE OVERALL FORMS OF HIS BUILDINGS WHICH ARE NOW MUCH
SIMPLER AND OFTEN TRULY MINIMALIST 4ODAY RATHER THAN FRAGMENTING FORM +UMA
FRAGMENTS MATERIALS mG
!S A RESULT OF THE CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF THE USE OF REnECTIVE GLASS THE PLAY WITH
TRANSLUCENCY AND TRANSPARENCY AND THE STRATEGIES OF LAYERING AND mLTERING THE SPATIAL
QUALITY OF +UMAS WORKS HAS GAINED A FASCINATINGLY ELUSIVE nUIDITY !S +UMA HAS WRITTEN
HE WANTS iTO CREATE A CONDITION THAT IS AS VAGUE AND AMBIGUOUS AS DRIFTING PARTICLESw
5SING THE VARIOUS AND OFTEN EPHEMERAL SURFACES AS SCREENS THAT DISPLAY INFORMATION
&)'
!.$/ ()2/3()'% -53%5- AS FOR EXAMPLE IN THE INTERIORS OF THE (IROSHIGE -USEUM THEIR VISUAL QUALITIES BECOME
+%.'/ +5-! "!4/
-!#()
iVERY SIMILAR TO THE PROPERTIES OF COMPUTER IMAGES THAT ARE OFTEN REFERRED TO AS LIQUID
IN THEIR SPATIALITY w AS ,YNN HAS COMMENTED mG )F THIS IS SO ONE CAN RECOGNIZE
AN INTERESTING THOUGH NOT ACCIDENTAL CONVERGENCE BETWEEN +UMAS AND 4OYO )TOS
ARCHITECTURAL WORKS )TO REFERRING TO HIS RECENT ARCHITECTURE AND ESPECIALLY TO THE
-EDIATHEQUE IN 3ENDAI TALKS ABOUT HIS INTENTION TO CREATE SPACES THAT ARE iAQUEOUS w
WHEREIN ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS APPEAR TO nOAT ACCORDINGLY THE UNDULATING LATTICE
LIKE
TUBULAR SHAFTS IN THE BUILDING ARE DESIGNED TO LOOK LIKE DRIFTING SEAWEED 4HE UNIVERSAL
CONSISTENCY OF SUCH SPACE IS INnECTED BY THE UNPREDICTABLE DENSITY OF nOWS WHILE ITS
BOUNDARIES ARE CONTINUOUSLY SHAPED BY THE PRESSURES OF EVENTS WITHIN AND WITHOUT AS
WELL AS THROUGHOUT 2EALIZED AS A mELD OF nUCTUATIONS ARCHITECTURE HERE IS BOUND TO BE
TENTATIVE AND TRANSIENT )TO HAS ARRIVED AT THE CONCLUSION THAT IN THE AGE OF ELECTRONIC
TECHNOLOGIES AND COMMUNICATION THE ONLY POSSIBILITY FOR HIM AS AN ARCHITECT IS TO
iBLUR ARCHITECTUREw
)TO IS CERTAINLY AN INnUENTIAL ARCHITECT YET THE SHARED QUALITIES OF SIMPLICITY LIGHTNESS
AND EPHEMERALITY IN HIS AND +UMAS DESIGNS ARE NOT AN INDICATION OF +UMA WORKING
UNDER )TOS DIRECT INnUENCE AS THEIR OTHERWISE RATHER DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURES CLEARLY
UNDERSCORE (OWEVER IT SURELY MEANS THAT BOTH ARCHITECTS ARE EQUALLY AWARE OF THE
CHANGING CONDITIONS OF ARCHITECTURE AND HAVE CHARTED ALBEIT ALONG DIFFERENT PATHS
SIMILAR IF NOT EXACTLY IDENTICAL DESTINATIONS FOR THEIR DESIGNS )N THEIR WORKAS TO
SOME DEGREE ALSO IN THE WORKS OF SUCH ARCHITECTS AS +AZUYO 3EJIMA 2YUE .ISHIZAWA
+EIICHI )RIE 2IKEN 9AMAMOTO 3HOEI 9OH *UN !OKI AND -AKOTO 3EI 7ATANABE
ARCHITECTURAL SPACE GAINS IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER A PARTICULAR AFmNITY WITH DIGITAL SPACE
&)' HYPOTHETICALLY SPACE OR ARCHITECTURE COULD APPEAR OR DISAPPEAR AS IF ON A MONITOR
!.$/ ()2/3()'% -53%5-
).4%2)/2 +%.'/ +5-!
SCREEN DEPENDING ON THE SHIFTING mELD OF EVENTS AND THE ACTIONS OF THE PARTICIPATING
"!4/ -!#() OR EXPERIENCING PERSON
/NE IS REMINDED OF DANCE OR PANTOMIME WHERE MOVEMENT AND ACTION GENERATE SPACE
THAT IS BOTH nUID AND TEMPORARY .EEDLESS TO SAY IN ARCHITECTURE WHERE MATERIALS CAN
+ENGO +UMA i$ISSOLUTION OF /BJECTS AND %VASION OF THE #ITY w 4HE *APAN !RCHITECT
3UMMER
,YNN i0OINTILLISM w
4OYO )TO "LURRING !RCHITECTURE EXHIBITION CATALOG -ILANO %DIZIONE #HARTA
BE SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED BUT NEVER COMPLETELY ELIMINATED THIS IS A CONDITION THAT CAN
ONLY BE APPROXIMATED ALTHOUGH SOME RECENT DESIGNS SUCH AS )TOS 3ILVER (UT AND
3EJIMAS 0LATFORM (OUSES AND COME VERY CLOSE mG 4HESE PROJECTS
ALSO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE MORE INSUBSTANTIAL OR MINIMALIST THE DESIGN IS THE BETTER IT
CAN ACHIEVE THIS CONDITION +UMAS .ASU (ISTORY -USEUM AND EVEN MORE SO HIS (ORAI
/NSEN "ATH (OUSE IN !TAMI AS WELL AS SOME OF HIS OTHER BUILDINGS SUPPORT SUCH
AN ARGUMENT
2%,!4)6)49 /& -!4%2)!,3#(!,,%.').' 42!$)4)/.3
&)'
0,!4&/2- (/53% ./
+!:59/ 3%*)-! 9!-!.!3()
+UMAS DESIGNS CRITICALLY ENGAGE THE MATERIALITY OF ARCHITECTURE IN ORDER TO CHALLENGE ITS 02%&%#452%
USUAL MEANINGS AND IN SO DOING TO THWART THE EMERGENCE OF ARCHITECTURE AS AN OBJECT
!S HE HAS SHOWN IN MANY OF HIS PROJECTS +UMA IS DETERMINED TO iDISSOLVEw THE MATERIALS
THAT HE USES OR TO CHOOSE MATERIALS THAT ARE LESS SUBSTANTIAL STATING i)F MATERIALS ARE
THOROUGHLY PARTICLIZED THEY ARE TRANSIENT LIKE RAINBOWSw )N HIS REMARKABLE PROJECT
FOR THE 3TONE -USEUM IN .ASU THE USE OF STONE ONE OF THE MOST ANCIENT AND
SOLID MATERIALS WAS UNAVOIDABLE AS IT WAS THE SPECImC REQUEST OF THE CLIENT THE OWNER
AND OPERATOR OF A QUARRY NOT FAR FROM THE BUILDING SITE !FTER A PROCESS OF EXTENSIVE
EXPERIMENTATION IN COLLABORATION WITH THE EXPERT OWNER +UMA WAS mNALLY ABLE TO CUT THE
STONE INTO LONG THIN LAYERS WHICH HE APPLIED ONCE AGAIN AS HORIZONTAL SLATS CREATING A
POROUS WALL SYSTEM mG
&)'
34/.% -53%5- ).4%2)/2
+UMAS ADDITIONS COMPLEMENT THE EXISTING OLD AND MONOLITHIC STONE BUILDINGS WITH NEW +%.'/ +5-! .!35
AND PERMEABLE STRUCTURES OF STONE LATTICE THAT ALTHOUGH THEY DO NOT EXACTLY DISAPPEAR
SEEM ALMOST WEIGHTLESS AND WHEN VIEWED ACROSS THE SHALLOW REnECTIVE POOL APPEAR TO
BE VIRTUALLY nOATING 4HE 3TONE -USEUM CAN BE LIKENED TO 0ETER :UMTHORS 4HERMAL "ATH
IN 6ALS 3WITZERLAND BY WHICH IT WAS MOST LIKELY INSPIRED mG 4HE 4HERMAL
"ATH HAD ALSO BEEN CONCEIVED ENTIRELY OF STONE SLATS BUT ITS HORIZONTALLY TEXTURED TACTILE
SURFACES ADD UP TO MORE SOLID WALLS THAN +UMAS LOUVERS AT THE 3TONE -USEUM DO 4HE
PERMEABILITY OF HIS STONE WALLS ARE MORE REMINISCENT OF THE $OMINUS 7INERY IN #ALIFORNIA
BY THE 3WISS TEAM (ERZOG DE -EURON ALTHOUGH THE WINERYS WALLS TOO ARE
HEAVY +UMA USED STONE AGAIN IN HIS -USEUM IN .AGASAKI WHERE VERTICAL STONE
LOUVERS HELP TO ACHIEVE A SENSE OF LIGHTNESS
4HE APPLICATION OF NEW MATERIALS AND THE UNCOMMON USE OF OLD MATERIALS ARE NOT
LIMITED TO *APAN BUT BOTH HAVE BEEN SO EXTENSIVE HERE THAT MUCH OF THE RECENT SUCCESS
ACHIEVED BY *APANESE ARCHITECTS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED IN LARGE PART TO THOSE DEVICES !MONG
THE GROWING NUMBER OF NEW MATERIALS MANY ARCHITECTS HAVE EXPERIMENTED WITH 4EnON
mBER FABRIC 0OLYCARBONATE ,# GLASS CARDBOARD PAPER CORRUGATED METAL PERFORATED
ALUMINUM IN ORDER TO CONmGURE LIGHTER STRUCTURES AND MORE nUID AND AMBIGUOUS SPATIAL
&)'
4(%2-!, "!4( 0%4%2 :5-4(/2
6!,3 37)4:%2,!.$
+UMA i2ELATIVITY OF -ATERIALS w
)N THE $OMINUS 7INERY BUILDING THE STONES ARE HELD IN PLACE WITH GABIONS OR STEEL
MESH SCREENS TO
PREVENT THEM FROM FALLING 4HE STONES WERE SELECTED ACCORDING TO THEIR SIZE LOWER PARTS OF THESE
UNIQUE WALLS ARE MORE SOLID WHEREAS THE UPPER ONES ARE MORE POROUS
"/4/.$ "/'.!2
MATRICES 3HIGERU "AN HAS LONG BEEN ADVOCATING THE USE OF LARGE CARDBOARD TUBES
WHICH HE USED FOR HIS 0APER #HURCH IN +OBE AND THE *APANESE 0AVILION AT THE
%XPO IN (ANNOVER 'ERMANY AMONG OTHER EXAMPLES OF HIS iPAPER ARCHITECTUREw
mG 3HUHEI %NDO ON THE OTHER HAND HAS STARTED TO USE ORDINARY CORRUGATED METAL
SHEETS IN UNUSUAL nUIDLY CURVING AND OFTEN SPIRAL SHAPES
&OLLOWING THE GENERAL TREND +UMA HAS OVER THE YEARS INVESTIGATED MANY NEW AND OLD
MATERIALS INCLUDING PLASTIC TRANSLUCENT 0OLY
(YDRA
"LOCK 0(" BAMBOO PLASTERED
STRAW DRIED VINES PAPER AND TO A LESSER EXTENT BRICK AND CONCRETE /NE OF HIS RECENT
PROJECTS THE 0LASTIC (OUSE A SMALL PRIVATE RESIDENCE IN 4OKYO IS BUILT ALMOST
&)'
0!0%2 #(52#( 3()'%25 "!. ENTIRELY OF GLASS mBER REINFORCED PLASTIC &20 +UMA USED THIS MATERIAL BOTH IN THE FORM
+/"%
OF LONG SLATS AND THIN SHEETS UTILIZING IN EITHER CASE ITS INHERENT TRANSLUCENT QUALITIES
mG )N +UMAS WORKS PLASTIC SHEETS ARE OFTEN USED TOGETHER WITH *APANESE PAPER
WASHI WHICH WHILE PROTECTED FROM DAMAGE BY THE MORE DURABLE PLASTIC GIVES A mNE
TEXTURE AND MODULATED TRANSLUCENCY TO THE SURFACE ,IT FROM BEHIND THE SHEETS START TO
GLOW SO THAT THE ENTIRE BUILDING BECOMES A GLOWING VOLUME OF LIGHT AS SEEN IN THE 0LASTIC
(OUSE AS WELL AS IN THE 9USUHARA 6ISITORS #ENTER OF WHERE +UMA USED THIS EFFECT
FOR THE mRST TIME
!S A RESULT OF +UMAS TREATMENT OF MATERIALSBRINGING THEM TO LIFE WHILE INCREASING THE
TACTILITY OF THEIR SURFACESHIS ARCHITECTURAL SPACES BECOME ENDOWED WITH A SENSUOUS
QUALITY NOT UNLIKE THE ONE EXPERIENCED IN TRADITIONAL SUKIYA
STYLE ARCHITECTURE )NDEED
+UMA IS AMONG THOSE ARCHITECTS IN *APAN WHO ARE CAPABLE OF SUCCESSFULLY BLENDING THE
BEST OF THEIR LONG
STANDING *APANESE AESTHETIC SENSIBILITIES WITH THOSE ENGENDERED BY
CONTEMPORARY LIFE EXPERIENCES AND THE LATEST HIGH TECHNOLOGIES (IS USE OF SLATS FOR
EXAMPLE IS REMINISCENT OF WOODEN LATTICEWORK KOOSHI AND BAMBOO MESH AND CURTAIN
SUDARE WHICH ARE COMMON TRADITIONAL *APANESE DEVICES THAT MEDIATE BETWEEN INSIDE
&)'
AND OUTSIDE WHILE PROVIDING PRIVACY mG
0,!34)# (/53% #/5249!2$
+%.'/ +5-! 4/+9/
4HE TRANSLUCENT SLIDING PANEL SHOJI OR FUSUMA IS ANOTHER TRADITIONAL ELEMENT THAT
REAPPEARS IN CONTEMPORARY INTERPRETATION IN MANY OF +UMAS DESIGNS !MONG THESE ARE
THE -USEUM OF !NDO (IROSHIGE WHERE TRANSLUCENT PAPER SURFACES ARE APPLIED TOGETHER
WITH THIN REINFORCING ACRYLIC PANELS AND THE .ASU (ISTORY -USEUM WHERE METAL FRAMES
AND MESH PROVIDE THE BASIC STRUCTURE FOR DIAPHANOUS STRAW
IN
PLASTER PANELS "OTH
SURFACES MODULATE LIGHT AND IN THE CASE OF THE LATTER PROVIDE OUTSIDE VIEWS AS THEY ARE
mLTERED THROUGH THE GAUZY SEMI
TRANSPARENT PANELS
!LTHOUGH THE *APANESE MOOD OF LIGHTNESS AND EPHEMERALITY IS MANIFESTED IN MOST OF
+UMAS PROJECTS IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER IN SOME OF HIS DESIGNS THE ALLUSION TO TRADITIONAL
ARCHITECTURE IS MORE PRONOUNCED 4WO OF HIS PROJECTS IN PARTICULAR REFER DIRECTLY TO
HISTORIC MODELS THE .OH 3TAGE IN THE &OREST AND THE 4AKAYANAGI #OMMUNITY #ENTER
ARE MODImED VERSIONS OF THE TRADITIONAL .OH THEATER AND THE COUNTRY FARMHOUSE MINKA
RESPECTIVELY )N BOTH CASES HOWEVER TRADITIONAL MATERIALS SUCH AS WOOD THATCH AND
LOCALLY PRODUCED RICE PAPER ARE USED TOGETHER WITH NEW ONES CONCRETE ASPHALT STEEL
GLASS ACRYLIC SHEETS 3TYROFOAM AND COPPER RODS 4HAT SUCH ECLECTIC APPROPRIATION
OF MATERIALS IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF +UMAS MODE OF DESIGN IS ALSO EVIDENT IN HIS "AMBOO
(OUSE IN +ANAGAWA 0REFECTURE WHERE HE mLLED LARGE BAMBOO POSTS WITH
STEEL
REINFORCED CONCRETE FOR STRUCTURAL STRENGTH ! iDISHONESTYw SUCH AS THIS WOULD
HAVE BEEN TABOO FOR HARDCORE MODERNIST ARCHITECTS )N A SIMILAR MANNER THE WOODEN
FRAME STRUCTURE IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER IS DESIGNED WITH A SYSTEM OF THIN TENSION
CABLES AS DIAGONAL BRACES FOR STABILITY A SOLUTION THAT +UMA mRST APPLIED IN HIS NOTABLE
9USUHARA 6ISITORS #ENTER mG !S THESE AND OTHER EXAMPLES SHOW +UMA IS NEITHER
A MODERNIST NOR A TRADITIONALIST ARCHITECT ALTHOUGH HE DOES NOT HESITATE TO LEARN OR EVEN
BORROW FROM PREVIOUS ARCHITECTURES
)F +UMA WAS SET TO CHALLENGE TRADITIONS WHILE ENGAGING THEM IN THESE PROJECTS HE CARRIED
THIS CONCEPT EVEN FURTHER IN HIS DESIGNS FOR TWO SMALL *APANESE BATHHOUSES (IS 'INZAN
/NSEN (OT 3PRING "ATH (OUSE IN 9AMAGATA 0REFECTURE AND HIS MORE RECENT (ORAI
/NSEN "ATH (OUSE IN !TAMI ARE MODERN INTERPRETATIONS OF THE *APANESE OPEN
AIR
HOT SPRING BATH ROTEMBURO 4HE 'INZAN BATHHOUSE IS A SMALL TWO
STORY BUILDING THAT IS
VISUALLY EXPOSED TO THE SURROUNDING RESORT VILLAGE THE BATHING SPACE CAN BE SCREENED
ONLY PARTIALLY WITH A SLIDING TRANSLUCENT PANEL IN CONJUNCTION WITH MOVABLE WOODEN
LOUVERS WHICH FORM PART OF A SYSTEM OF SLATS THAT MAKE UP THE MAIN ELEVATION OF THE
WEDGE
SHAPED STRUCTURE
4HE BATH IN !TAMI ON THE OTHER HAND LOCATED ON THE NARROW LEDGE OF A STEEP WOODED
HILLSIDE WITH GREAT VIEWS OF THE SEA IS COMPLETELY OPEN )T IS DEmNED MERELY BY ITS &)'
9/3()*)-! (/53%
WOODEN DECK WITH A POOL AND A TRANSLUCENT CORRUGATED POLYCARBONATE CANOPY 4HIS %,%6!4)/. $%4!), 4!+!9!-!
.).4%%.4( #%.4529
DESIGN MORE THAN ANY OTHER BY +UMA REALIZES THE NOTION OF IMMATERIAL ARCHITECTURE
IT IS HARDLY A STRUCTURE AT ALL BUT RATHER THE MERE EXPRESSION OF THE TRANQUIL RITUAL OF
BATHING CONVEYING THE RICHNESS OF NATURAL PHENOMENA AND A PROFOUND SENSE OF LIBERATING
LIGHTNESS WITHIN THE SUBLIME EPHEMERALITY OF THE SURROUNDING UNBOUNDED ENVIRONMENT
mG "OTH BATHHOUSES CAN BE LISTED AMONG +UMAS MOST REMARKABLE WORKS ALONG
WITH THE 7ATER'LASS THE 2IVER&ILTER THE .OH 3TAGE IN THE &OREST THE -USEUM OF !NDO
(IROSHIGE THE .ASU (ISTORY -USEUM THE 3TONE -USEUM AND THE 'REAT "AMBOO
7ALL 'UEST (OUSE
4/0/3$)')4!, '!2$%.).' &)'
9535(!2! 6)3)4/23 #%.4%2
+%.'/ +5-! +/#()
!S WE HAVE SEEN +UMA PAYS CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION TO THE ARTICULATION OF BOUNDARIES AND 02%&%#452%
PARTITIONS IN HIS BUILDINGS IN ORDER TO RENDER HIS ARCHITECTURE MORE nUID ELUSIVE AND LESS
OBJECTLIKE !NOTHER METHOD OF ACHIEVING THESE QUALITIES IS HIS EMPHASIS ON HORIZONTAL
PLANES AND SURFACES &OR +UMA THE nOOR AND THE CANOPY OR ROOF ARE THE PRIMARY PLACE
DEmNING DEVICES THE (ORAI /NSEN "ATH (OUSE FOR INSTANCE CONSISTS OF NO MORE THAN
AN ELEVATED nOOR AND A CANOPY ABOVE +UMA PREFERS THE nOOR BECAUSE IT ENTICES nOWS OF
MOVEMENT WHICH PROVIDE CONTINUITY BETWEEN INSIDE AND OUT (IS PREOCCUPATION WITH THE
)N THE TRADITIONAL *APANESE PUBLIC BATH WHETHER IT IS INDOORS OSENTO OR OUTDOORS ROTEMBURO
MALE AND FEMALE VISITORS ARE VISUALLY SEPARATED AS THEY ENTER THEIR RESPECTIVE POOLS NAKED !S &)'
(/2!) /.3%. "!4( (/53%
BATHING FOLLOWS HYGIENIC CLEANSING THE *APANESE BATH IS MORE THERAPEUTIC OR MEDITATIVE IN NATURE
+%.'/ +5-! !4!-)
AND IN THE CASE OF THE ROTEMBURO THE EXPERIENCE IS ENHANCED BY THE BATHS IMMERSION IN NATURE
)N THE 'INZAN PROJECT ONLY THE POOL FOR THE MEN IS OUTDOORS
"/4/.$ "/'.!2
nOOR AND THE TERRAIN BEYOND CAN BE TRACED BACK TO THE EARLY 7ATER'LASS GUESTHOUSE OF
(ERE TOO THE UPPER LEVEL OF THE BUILDING IS CONCEIVED PRIMARILY OF A nOOR AND A nAT
ROOF WITH EXTENSIVE OVERHANGS OF GLASS AND METAL LOUVERS $EmNING THE BOUNDARIES OF THE
nOOR ENTIRELY WITH nOOR
TO
CEILING CLEAR GLASS AND SURROUNDING IT WITH AN EXTENSIVE POOL
OF WATER ON THE ROOF DECK BELOW +UMA HAS ACHIEVED BOTH VISUAL AND TACTILE CONTINUITY
BETWEEN INSIDE AND OUT BETWEEN HIS ARCHITECTURE AND THE SEA OR NATURE IN GENERAL
!LMOST THE SAME ARTICULATION CHARACTERIZES HIS .OH 3TAGE IN THE &OREST WHERE NOT ONLY
THE STAGE ITSELF BUT ALSO THE GALLERY FOR THE AUDIENCE ARE CONmGURED AS A nOOR AND CEILING
OR ROOF IN THEIR SIMPLEST FORMS AT THE GALLERY BOUNDARIES ARE MADE UP OF SLIDING GLASS
&)'
./( 34!'% ). 4(% &/2%34 PANELS THAT PROVIDE ENCLOSURE WHEN NECESSARY mG
#/5249!2$ +%.'/ +5-!
4/9/-!
4HE SAME CONSTRUCTION PRINCIPLES SHAPED MUCH OF TRADITIONAL *APANESE SUKIYA
STYLE
ARCHITECTURE 7ITH MOST OF THE BOUNDARIES BOTH INSIDE AND OUT DELINEATED BY THIN
PAPER
COVERED SLIDING PANELS FUSUMA AND SHOJI THAT WERE EASILY REMOVABLE THE MOST
IMPORTANT CONSTITUENTS OF THE BUILDING WERE THE SLIGHTLY ELEVATED nOOR COVERED BY
TATAMI AND OFTEN EXTENDED ON THE OUTSIDE AS VERANDAS ENGAWA AND THE ROOF WITH
LARGE OVERHANGS ALL AROUND 3UCH SPATIAL DISPOSITION GUARANTEED BOTH nEXIBILITY AND
AN INTIMATE BUT VARIABLE INTERFACE WITH THE GARDEN AND NATURE 4HE TRANSITION BETWEEN
ARCHITECTURAL SPACE AND THE GARDEN WAS ALSO MODULATED BY THE DIFFERENTIATION IN
MATERIALS AND THE GRADATION OF HORIZONTAL SURFACES TATAMI ENGAWA STEPS STEPPING
STONES AND GRAVEL AMONG OTHERS !RATA )SOZAKI DISCUSSING THE PHENOMENOLOGY OF nOORS
IN AN ESSAY ON *APANESE VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE WRITES THAT SUCH SUBTLE DIFFERENTIATION
iESTABLISHES ZONES WITHOUT CREATING A SERIOUS PHYSICAL SPATIAL BARRIER4HE USE OF
SYMBOLIC MARKERS INSTEAD OF PHYSICAL WALLS OR RAMPARTS TO DELINEATE SPACE REnECTS A
CHARACTERISTICALLY *APANESE UNDERSTANDING OF SPACEw
+UMA UNDOUBTEDLY USES HORIZONTAL PLANESPARTICULARLY THE nOORIN THE SAME WAY IN
MANY OF HIS DESIGNS (IS 3PACE $ESIGN OF THE 6ENICE "IENNALE *APANESE 0AVILION
THE &OREST&LOOR A SMALL HOUSE IN +ARUIZAWA AND THE 3OBA 2ESTAURANT AT 4OGAKUSHI
3HRINE BOTH ARE ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES )N 6ENICE +UMA WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
INTERIOR DESIGN OF AN EXISTING PAVILION THAT HAD BEEN DESIGNED BY 4AKAMASA 9OSHIZAKA
IN !S THE THEME OF THE *APANESE EXHIBITION WAS THE SUKI
SENSEAN ATMOSPHERE
OF RESTRAINED ELEGANCE AND SOPHISTICATIONOF MULTI
VERNACULAR +UMA CONVERTED THE
SMALL SPACE INTO A *APANESE STROLL GARDEN KAIYUSHIKI
NIWA COMPLETE WITH A SHALLOW
POOL OF WATER OVER WHICH HE ARRANGED WOODEN DECKS AND WALKWAYS THAT EXTENDED TO THE
&)' WOODED AREA AROUND THE PAVILION )NSPIRED BY TRADITIONAL GARDEN DESIGN PRINCIPLES THE
30!#% $%3)'. 6%.)#% ")%..!,%
*!0!.%3% 0!6),)/. ).4%2)/2 SPATIAL AS WELL AS ARTISTIC EXPERIENCE OF +UMAS DESIGNAS IN MOST OF HIS WORKUNFOLDS
+%.'/ +5-! 6%.)#% )4!,9 SEQUENTIALLY AND INVOLVES ALL HUMAN SENSES INCLUDING THE KINETIC AS ONE WALKS ON THE
CAREFULLY ARRANGED SURFACES +UMAS SPATIAL CHOREOGRAPHY ENSURES AGAIN THE CONNECTION
OF THE INSIDE WITH THE OUTSIDE OF ARCHITECTURE WITH NATURE mG
4HE ROOF DECK CONTAINS AN OPEN AIR *APANESE BATH ROTEMBURO LOCATED WITHIN THE SURROUNDING POOL OF
WATER 4HIS BATH IS ACCESSIBLE FROM THE BATHROOM OF ONE OF THE GUEST ROOMS )MMERSED IN THE WATER
ONE CAN EXPERIENCE A DIRECT OR TACTILE CONNECTION TO THE SEA
!RATA )SOZAKI i&LOORS AND )NTERNAL 3PACES IN *APANESE 6ERNACULAR !RCHITECTURE0HENOMENOLOGY OF
&LOORS w 2%3 3PRING
"OTH THE &OREST&LOOR AND 3OBA 2ESTAURANT ON THE OTHER HAND ARE DESIGNED WITH
ELEVATED PLATFORMS AND THUS CLEARLY ALLUDE NOT ONLY TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TYPICAL
*APANESE HOUSE BUT ALSO TO CERTAIN MODERN ARCHITECTURAL PROTOTYPES ADVOCATED BY ,E
#ORBUSIER -ORE PRECISELY THE &OREST&LOOR mNDS ITS PROTOTYPE IN -IES VAN DER 2OHES
&ARNSWORTH (OUSE IN )LLINOIS BUT MANAGES TO DEVIATE FROM IT AS MUCH AS FROM
THE *APANESE RESIDENTIAL MODEL )T BREAKS THE BOXY DISPOSITION OF -IESS DESIGN WITH
LARGE OVERHANGING ROOFS AND BY EMPLOYING A UNIQUE STEEL STRUCTURE THE ROOF SUSPENDED
FROM ABOVE IS SUPPORTED BY TWO MAJOR POSTS THAT ARE BURIED IN CABINETS +UMA THUS
MANAGES TO KEEP THE INTERIOR FREE OF POSTS EMPHASIZING THE ROLE OF THE nOOR AND ITS
VISUAL CONNECTION TO THE WOODED AREA OUTSIDE )N ADDITION THE ALMOST EMPTY SPACE OF THE
PILOTIS UNDERNEATH THE BUILDING ENSURES THE CONTINUITY OF THE LAND WHICH HERE BECOMES &)'
3/"! 2%34!52!.4 !4 4/'!+53()
ANOTHER nOOR SURFACE 3(2).% ).4%2)/2 $%4!),
+%.'/ +5-! 4/'!+53()
.!'!./ 02%&%#452%
4HE 3OBA 2ESTAURANT FEATURES ONCE AGAIN AN UNUSUAL STRUCTURAL FRAME WITH ITS
COMBINATION OF STEEL AND WOODEN ELEMENTS AND ITS SYSTEM OF mXED ELONGATED AND
VERTICALLY SLIT PANELS ON THE SOUTH FACADE THAT ALTERNATING WITH EQUALLY NARROW OPENINGS
PROVIDE PRIVACY AND PROTECTION FROM THE SUN WHILE OFFERING VIEWS 4HE REPETITIVE
ARRANGEMENT OF THESE PANELS SIMILAR TO THOSE AT THE 4AKAYANAGI #OMMUNITY #ENTER
RESULTS IN AN ATTRACTIVE SEMI PERMEABLE SURFACE WHILE LENDING A RHYTHMIC TEXTURE TO
THE BUILDING mG
+UMAS FOCUS ON HORIZONTAL SURFACES AND HIS CONTINUED STRIVING FOR ESTABLISHING SEAMLESS
CONNECTIONS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AT LARGE HAVE LED HIM TO EXPAND HIS VISION OF ERASING
ARCHITECTURE TO EVEN LARGER TERRITORIES )N MANY OF HIS PROJECTS HE PROPOSES A NEW
LANDSCAPE WHICH IS ALMOST WITHOUT EXCEPTION RELATED TO THE IDEA OF GARDENING +UMAS
PREOCCUPATION WITH GARDENING BRINGS US BACK TO HIS INITIAL INTENTION TO ELIMINATE EXTERNAL
VIEWPOINTS OR THE EXTERIORITY OF ARCHITECTURE AND TO CREATE WORK THAT IS PART OF A nUID
CONTINUUM #HALLENGING THE PREDOMINANTLY VISUAL ATTRIBUTES OF LANDSCAPES THAT BOTH
THE DESIGNER AND THE SPECTATOR LOOK AT FROM AN OUTSIDE VANTAGE POINT +UMA INTENDS TO
ENGENDER AN ENVIRONMENT AS A GARDEN WHERE EVERYONE IS A GARDENER !S HE EXPLAINS iTHE
@GARDENER IS ALWAYS INSIDE THE GARDEN (E IS @INSIDE IN A DIFFERENT SENSE FROM THE VISITOR
IMAGINED BY ,E #ORBUSIER WHO MOVES ABOUT CUTTING OUT IMAGES IN A BUILDING ;)N
THE CASE OF A GARDEN= THERE IS NO DISTANCE BETWEEN THE ;GARDENER= AND THE GARDEN 4HE
SUBJECT AND OBJECT ARE JOINED AND CONTINUOUSw
)F THIS IS THE CASE THE STUDY OF ARCHITECTURE AS PARTS TO THE WHOLE AND THE RESULTING
HIERARCHIESTHE FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING AND APPROACH OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE
)N HIS i&IVE 0OINTS OF A .EW !RCHITECTUREw ,ES 0OINTS DUNE !RCHITECTURE NOUVELLE FIRST
PUBLISHED IN ,E #ORBUSIER LISTED THE APPLICATION OF PILOTIS AS THE FIRST POINT 4HIS SOLUTION
BASED ON THE SEPARATION OF THE LOAD
BEARING STRUCTURAL SKELETON AND THE OUTSIDE OR INSIDE WALLS
LIBERATED THE GROUND FROM THE BUILDING (E FURTHER ADVOCATED A FLAT ROOF WITH ROOF TERRACE A FREE
PLAN LARGE AND CONTINUOUS WINDOWS AND A FLEXIBLE OR AN INDEPENDENT ARTICULATION OF FACADES /NE
OF THE BEST BUILT EXAMPLES OF THESE PRINCIPLES BY ,E #ORBUSIER IS THE 6ILLA 3AVOY IN 'ARCHES OF
NEAR 0ARIS -ANY REPRESENTATIVES OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE ADAPTED THESE PRINCIPLES IN THEIR WORKS
THEY BECAME THE GENERAL ATTRIBUTES OF MODERNISM
+UMA i$IGITAL 'ARDENING w
"/4/.$ "/'.!2
ARE ALSO BOUND TO LOSE THEIR MEANINGS 4HE NEW VISION SHARED BY OTHER *APANESE
ARCHITECTS INCLUDING 4OYO )TO AMONG OTHERS PROPOSES ARCHITECTURE AS AN ENVIRONMENT
THAT NOT UNLIKE NATURE OR ITS REPRESENTATIVE GARDEN IS CONTINUOUS YET ALWAYS IN THE
STATE OF TRANSITION CAUSED BY BOTH NATURAL EVENTS AND HUMAN INTERVENTIONS )N SUCH
DESIGNS SPACES WORKING AS AN ARCHITECTURAL iSOFTWARE w ARE ENGENDERED AS ALMOST
PURE SENSATIONS WHILE ARCHITECTURE AS iHARDWAREw REMAINS LATENT "EYOND THE GROWING
NUMBER OF +UMAS BUILT PROJECTSINCLUDING THE 6ERTICAL 'ARDEN AN EVENT PLACE
PRIMARILY FOR CHILDREN IN /SAKASEVERAL UNBUILT ONES OFFER VARIATIONS ON THE THEME
OF GARDENING INCLUDING THE !UTOMATIC 'ARDEN IN +YOTO THE -OVING 'ARDEN
#IVIC (ALL IN .AGAOKA THE 3IMPLE 'ARDEN (OTEL IN ,E ,ANDES &RANCE
AND THE #UBIC 'ARDEN -USEUM IN !ICHI 0REFECTURE
*UST AS THE SURFACES OF VERTICAL BOUNDARIES OF ARCHITECTURAL SPACE ARE USED TODAY TO
DISPLAY DIVERSE AND nUCTUATING INFORMATION +UMA RENDERS HIS LANDSCAPE DESIGNS AS
MEMBRANES THAT ARE STRETCHED OVER LARGE AREAS AND TEXTURED BY NATURAL VEGETATION AND
BUILT ELEMENTS ARCHITECTURE (IS METHOD HERE IS SIMILAR TO THE iPARTICLIZATIONw OF
OTHER SURFACES AS SCREENS NOW APPLIED ON A DIFFERENT SCALE 4HE %CO 0ARTICLE PROJECT OF
IS A GOOD EXAMPLE ! TAPESTRY OF NETWORK
LIKE SURFACESPARKS AND ARCHITECTURE
IN AN INSEPARABLE SYMBIOSISIS LAID OUT ON THE TERRAIN OF -IYAKO
JIMA A SMALL ISLAND IN
/KINAWA 0REFECTURE IN AN ECOLOGICALLY EFFECTIVE WAY mG +UMA ALSO EXPLORED SUCH
IDEAS IN HIS EARLIER 'RASS .ET PROJECT A NETWORK OF PARKS IN A HOUSING DISTRICT IN
DOWNTOWN 4OKYO WHICH HE PLANNED AS ARCHITECTURE THAT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THE )NTERNET
WHICH iIS SHAPELESS YET UBIQUITOUSw
&)'
%#/ 0!24)#,% 02/*%#4 +UMAS INTENTIONS ARE EVEN MORE PRONOUNCED IN HIS PROPOSAL FOR THE 7ORLD
+%.'/ +5-! -)9!+/
*)-!
/+).!7!
%XPOSITION IN .AGOYA WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE SUBJECTS OF i.ATURES 7ISDOMw AND THE
NEED FOR AND WAYS OF COEXISTING WITH NATURE (ERE MORE THAN IN THE OTHER TWO PROJECTS
+UMA CONmGURED THE HILLY SITE AS A NATURAL PARK IN WHICH THE TYPICAL FREESTANDING
PAVILION
TYPE ARCHITECTURE AND ITS PROJECTED IMAGERIES ARE ECLIPSED BY THE TOPOGRAPHY
OF THE LAND 4HE UNDULATING SURFACES OF THE ARCHITECTURE ARE MADE CONTINUOUS WITH THE
SIMILARLY nUID TOPOS OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT mG 7ITH THE DICHOTOMY OF mGURE
AND GROUND THUS ELIMINATED ARCHITECTURE TOO IS ERASED )N ALL THESE PROJECTS iRATHER
THAN UNDERSTANDING THE LANDSCAPE AS A PICTURESQUE COLLECTION OF MONUMENTS OR POINTS
+UMA MOVES TOWARD A MORE TOPOLOGICAL CONCEPT OF LANDSCAPES OF TEXTURED UNDULATING
SURFACES w AS 'REG ,YNN OBSERVED )N THE SAME PROJECT +UMA ALSO PROPOSED 34(-$S
3EE
4HROUGH (EAD
-OUNTED $ISPLAYS WHICH ALLOW THE SIMULTANEOUS VIEWING OF THE
REAL FOREST OUTSIDE AND ITS VARIOUS DIGITAL IMAGES IN AND THROUGH THE SAME ANIMATED YET
TRANSPARENT MEMBRANE
&)' )N HIS ESSAY i$IVIDING VERSUS -AKING w )TO EXPLAINS THAT i4HE BASIC PRINCIPLE OF MODERN ARCHITECTURE
7/2,$ %80/3)4)/.
IS TO DIVIDE A WHOLE INTO ELEMENTS AND TO ORGANIZE THOSE ELEMENTS ACCORDING TO SOME RULE 4HIS IS
-!34%2 0,!. +%.'/ +5-!
!)#() 02%&%#452% SIMILAR TO THE METHODS OF MODERN SCIENCE WHICH IS TO TRY TO ANALYZE AND REDUCE THINGS TO ELEMENTS
AND EXPLAIN EVERYTHING MECHANISTICALLY IN TERMS OF THE RELATIONSHIPS OF THOSE ELEMENTSw !ND
DISCUSSING HIS DESIGN FOR THE -EDIATHEQUE HE LISTS HIS iDESIRE NOT TO CREATE JOINTSBEAMSWALLS
ROOMS;AND= ARCHITECTUREw 4OYO )TO 3ENDAI -EDIATHEQUE -IYAGI *APAN n 4OKYO !$!
%DITA
+ENGO +UMA i'RASS .ET w 3PACE $ESIGN
,YNN i0OINTILLISM w
4HE DESIGN OF EXTENSIVE SURFACES OF THE ARCHITECTURAL LANDSCAPE ALSO NECESSITATED THE
ADVANCED USE OF COMPUTERS 2ELYING ON COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN MORE EXTENSIVELY +UMA
HAS BEEN PROPOSING SIMILAR SCHEMES FOR OTHER LARGE SCALE PROJECTS SUCH AS HIS RECENT
COMPETITION ENTRIES TO THE /SAKA #ITY $OWNTOWN 2EDEVELOPMENT AND THE 4IANJIN 5RBAN
0ROJECT IN #HINA BOTH )N THESE DESIGNS HE DEVISED LARGE SOFTLY SHAPED MULTISTORY
PROTRUSIONS FROM THE GROUND AS BUILT STRUCTURES THAT LIKE A MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ARE
COVERED WITH GREEN VEGETATION OUTSIDE WHILE LIT AND VENTILATED THROUGH VARIOUS SCREENS
INSIDE ,IKEWISE HIS PROPOSAL FOR THE 'REAT %GYPTIAN -USEUM PROJECT NOT FAR
FROM THE 'AZA 0YRAMIDS IS A HUGE INnATED AMORPHOUS BUBBLE WHICH LOOKS ALMOST AS
IF THE GROUND ITSELF HAS SWELLED 5NDER THE LIGHTWEIGHT AND TRANSLUCENTTRANSPARENT
MEMBRANE OF THIS DOME THE THEMATIC DISPLAYS ARE nEXIBLY ARRANGED ON THE UNDULATING
GREEN SURFACE OF THE GROUND WHEREAS THE SPACES FOR TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS THE
RESTAURANT AND THE CONFERENCE HALL ARE SHAPED AS inOATING EGGSw WITHIN THE LARGER SPACE
OF THE DOME
!N IMPORTANT FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF +UMAS ARCHITECTURE
AS
TOPOS IDEA IS ANOTHER
PROJECT THE .AM *UNE 0AIK -USEUM IN +YONGGI 3OUTH +OREA DEDICATED TO THE
WORK OF THE INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED MULTIMEDIA ARTIST ,OCATED IN A SHALLOW WOODED
VALLEY THE HORIZONTALLY STRETCHING ONE
LEVEL MUSEUM FEATURES THE SLOPING AND UNDULATING
TERRAIN AS ITS nOORAN INDOOR GARDEN AS IT WERE 4HIS GARDEN IS THEN COVERED BY TWO
SPECIAL nAT GLASS ROOFS THAT ARE EACH nOODED WITH A
INCH MM THIN SHEET OF
nOWING WATER #ASCADING FROM THE LOWER EDGES OF THESE TRANSLUCENTTRANSPARENT ROOF
PLANES WATER WRAPS AROUND THE ENTIRE SPACE )N ADDITION THE GLASS ROOF UNDERNEATH IS
DIVIDED INTO SMALL CELLS IN A GRID PATTERN MOST OF WHICH FEATURE A TELEVISION MONITOR
FACING UPWARD DISPLAYING THEIR ACTIVE SCREENS THROUGH THE GLASS AND WATER !S VISITORS
WALK ON TOP OF THESE TELEVISION MONITOR ROOFS THEY CAN OBSERVE THE BROADCAST AS WELL AS
NATURAL PHENOMENA AS THEY ARE REnECTED ON THE SURFACE OF THE WATER 4HE BOUNDARIES
BETWEEN THE REAL AND THE VIRTUAL ARE THUS BLURRED WHILE THE CUMULATIVE DISPLAY OF
THE MONITORS THEMSELVES WHEN OBSERVED FROM ABOVE APPEARS AS A LARGE AND ACTIVE
PIXILATED SURFACE mG 4HIS PROJECT BEST APPROXIMATES WHAT +UMA HAS CALLED iDIGITAL
GARDENING w WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS
/UR IMMEDIATE TASK IS TO ADAPT THE PASTORAL AND CRAFTSMANLY TECHNIQUES
OF GARDENING TO ;A= COMPLEX AND DIFmCULT WORLD %LECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY MADE
THE DISCONTINUOUS WORLD CONTINUOUS BUT ) BELIEVE THAT BY THE SAME TOKEN THE
APPROACH EMBODIED IN GARDENING CAN BE EXPANDED WITH THE HELP OF ELECTRONIC
TECHNOLOGY AND ELIMINATE THAT WILDLY HYPERTROPHIED AND DEFORMED PRESENCE
CALLED ARCHITECTURE
&)'
.!- *5.% 0!)+ -53%5- +%.'/
7ITH THIS PROJECT +UMAS WORK HAS COME TO FULL CIRCLEFROM BURYING ARCHITECTURE IN +5-! +9/.'') 3/54( +/2%!
THE GROUND TO DIGITAL GARDENING !ND EVEN IF THE LATTER IS MORE OF A VISION THAN THE OTHER
MODES OF +UMAS CONTINUED ENDEAVOR TO ERASE ARCHITECTURE IT IS SIGNImCANT IN MANY
WAYS (E LIKE MOST OF HIS CONTEMPORARIES IN *APAN IS CHARTING NEW WAYS OF ARTICULATING
ARCHITECTURE THAT BY NATURE CAN TRANSCEND BOTH REDUCTIONIST MODERNISM AND NOSTALGIC
+UMA i$IGITAL 'ARDENING w
"/4/.$ "/'.!2
POSTMODERNISM WHILE BEING BETTER IN TUNE WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE NEW MODES
OF LIFE FOSTERED BY FAST DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGIES mGS o
2EVIEWING THE RAPIDLY GROWING LIST OF +UMAS WORKS TO DATE IT IS APPARENT THAT
MOST OF HIS PROJECTS INCLUDING HIS MOST ACCOMPLISHED ONES ARE LOCATED IN NATURAL
ENVIRONMENTS AND ONLY RARELY IN DENSELY BUILT URBAN AREAS (IS EFFORTS TO APPLY HIS
IDEAS TO URBAN CONDITIONS AS WELL ARE EXEMPLImED BY THE /NE /MOTESANDO "UILDING IN
4OKYO THE .AGASAKI 0REFECTURAL -USEUM NOW CLOSE TO COMPLETION AND THE
LARGE 3HINONOME !PARTMENT "UILDING IN 4OKYO BOTH /NE MIGHT ALSO SAY THAT
+UMA HAS YET TO BUILD HIS OPUS MAGNUM BUT THIS MIGHT BE AN UNFAIR STATEMENT )N OUR
MANIFESTLY NON
HEROIC AGE CAN AN ARCHITECTURE OF EVANESCENCE AND EPHEMERALITYAN
ARCHITECTURE THAT ASPIRES TO BE MORE AN ILLUSION THAN AN OBJECT AND AS SUCH IS DESTINED
TO DISAPPEARCLAIM TO BE AN OPUS MAGNUM AT ALL 0ERHAPS NOT !ND YET HAVING SEEN
+UMA EXPLORE SO MANY DIRECTIONS IN SEARCH OF AN ARCHITECTURE AND ENVIRONMENT THAT IS
MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE FUTURE ONE CAN SURELY SPECULATE AS TO WHAT HIS NEXT STEP IN OUR
FAST
CHANGING TIMES MIGHT BE 4HE ANSWER IS HARD TO GUESS AND MAY NOT BE KNOWN EVEN
TO HIM (OWEVER COMMITTED AS MUCH TO MODERNITY AS TO *APANESE CULTURE +UMA WITH
THE BEST OF HIS COMPLETED AS WELL AS UNBUILT PROJECTS HAS ALREADY SET THE EXPECTATIONS
TRULY HIGH .OW HE IS EXPECTED TO NOT ONLY CONTINUE MEETING THESE IN THE YEARS TO COME
&)'
7!+% 4/+59!-! 2%34!52!.4 BUT TO EXCEED THEM +UMA IS AN ARCHITECT TO BE WATCHED
$%4!), /& 4(% %84%2)/2 ',!33
7!,, 7)4( #/.#2%4% ",/#+
,/56%23 !.$ ).4%2)/2 34!)27!9
+%.'/ +5-! 4/+9/
&)'
.!'!3!+) 02%&%#452!, -53%5-
+%.'/ +5-! 4/+9/
"5),$).'3 !.$ 02/*%#43
+)2/ 3!. /"3%26!4/29 9/3()5-) /#() '5. %()-% 02%&%#452%
4/0
3)4% 0,!.
"/44/-
&,//2 0,!.
/00/3)4% 4/0
6)%7 &2/- $%#+ !
/00/3)4% -)$$,%
3%#4)/.
/00/3)4% "/44/-
%!34 %,%6!4)/.
$%#+ ! 0,!4&/2- #
$%#+ " 0,!4&/2- $
0,!4&/2- ! 0,!4&/2- %
0,!4&/2- " /0%. 30!#%
/BSERVATION PLATFORMS TYPICALLY STAND IN THE MIDST OF IDEA OF ARCHITECTURE AS A PROTRUDING OBJECT WHAT
THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT INTRUDING ON THE BEAUTY OF THE WAS PREVIOUSLY SEEN HAS NOW BEEN TRANSFORMED INTO
SURROUNDING SCENERY +UMAS DESIGN INSTEAD FOCUSED THE ACT OF SEEING )NSIDE THE OBSERVATORY ARE VIDEO
ON THE CREATION OF AN ANTI
OBJECT IN NATURE 7HEN MONITORS ON WHICH VISITORS mND THEMSELVES DISPLAYED
APPROACHED THE +IRO
SAN /BSERVATORY REVEALS ITSELF mLMED BY A CAMERA IN AN UNKNOWN LOCATION )N
ONLY AS A SINGLE NARROW GAP IN THE HILLSIDE 4O ACHIEVE ADDITION THE OBSERVATORY TAKES THE FORM OF A STAGE
THIS DESIGN THE TOP OF THE PICTURESQUE -OUNT +IRO ON WHICH VISITORS CAN BE OBSERVED BY OTHERS FORCING
WHICH HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN RAZED TO FUNCTION AS THEM TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT TO SEE IS ALSO TO
AN OBSERVATORY PARK WAS RESTORED TO ITS ORIGINAL FORM BE SEEN
4HEN A VERTICAL SLIT WAS CUT INTO THE GROUND WITH TWO /BSERVATION PLATFORMS WERE mRST BUILT TO GAIN A
OPENINGS AT EACH END FROM WHICH SMALL PLATFORMS BETTER KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD WHICH COULD NOW BE
PROTRUDE 6ISITORS ARE THUS PROVIDED WITH A BROAD VIEWED FROM ABOVE THEY THUS CONVEYED A
PANORAMA OF SPECTACULAR SCENERY WITH THE ARCHITECTURE SENSE OF CONTROL !T +IRO
SAN THE INDIVIDUAL WHO
FRAMING THE VIEW OF THE SEA BELOW FEELS EMPOWERED BY THE EXPERIENCE OF VIEWING
"Y TURNING THE OBSERVATORY INTO A RECESSED SLIT +UMA IS SIMULTANEOUSLY DISEMPOWERED BY THE REALITY OF
AIMED AT REVERSING THE TRADITIONAL AND DEEP
SEATED BEING VIEWED
+)2/
3!. /"3%26!4/29
4/0 6)%7 /& 6%24)#!, #54 ). '2/5.$
"/44/- 6)%7 4/ 3/54( &2/- $%#+ "
/00/3)4% %.42!.#%
+)2/
3!. /"3%26!4/29
7!4%2',!33 !4!-) 3():5/+! 02%&%#452%
4/0
3)4% 0,!.
"/44/-
&,//2 0,!.3
/00/3)4%
&)234
&,//2 0!4)/ !.$
#/5249!2$ 7)4( 0//,
'2/5.$
&,//2 &,//2 &, &,//2
2%&,%#4).' 0//, -%#(!.)#!, 2//- %.42!.#%
4!4!-) 2//- "!4( (!,,
#/.&%2%.#% 2//- +)4#(%. -%#(!.)#!, 30!#%
-!.!'%23 2//- ,/5.'% %,%#42)#!, 2//-
3%26)#% 9!2$ '5%34 2//- 6/)$
4HE DESIGN OF THIS SMALL GUESTHOUSE OWNED BY A INnUENCE ON FORMULATING HIS OWN IDEAS FOR THE BUILDING
LARGE COMPANY WAS INnUENCED BY +UMAS CHANCE NEXT DOOR
ENCOUNTER WITH ONE OF THE UNIQUE RESULTS OF THE 4AUT PAID SPECImC ATTENTION TO CERTAIN ELEMENTS
'ERMAN ARCHITECT "RUNO 4AUTS ACTIVITIES IN *APAN OF THE +ATSURA 6ILLA THAT WERE EMPLOYED TO UNIFY
3TAYING IN THE COUNTRY FROM UNTIL ARCHITECTURE WITH NATURE SUCH AS THE VILLAS LARGE
4AUT DEVOTED CONSIDERABLE TIME TO STUDYING *APANESE OVERHANGING EAVES AND THE EXTENSIVE BAMBOO
ARCHITECTURE (IS DISCOVERY AND GREAT APPRECIATION VERANDAS SURROUNDING THE STRUCTURE 0ROMPTED BY
OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY +ATSURA 6ILLA IN +YOTO SUCH PRECEDENTS CONVEYED TO HIM THROUGH THE DIRECT
IS WELL NOTED EVEN TODAY (E PARTICULARLY PRAISED THE EXPERIENCE OF 4AUTS SMALL HOUSE +UMAS DESIGN FOR THE
WAY THE VILLA FRAMES NATURE WHILE BEING PRACTICALLY 7ATER'LASS BUILDING CENTERS AROUND A SHALLOW POOL OF
ONE WITH IT ,EARNING FROM THIS EXAMPLE 4AUT DESIGNED A WATER THAT EXTENDS OVER THE PERIMETER OF THE THIRD LEVEL
SMALL HOUSE ONE OF TWO BY HIM IN *APAN WHICH SIMILAR TO THE BAMBOO VERANDAS AROUND +ATSURA
IS LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE SITE OF THE 7ATER'LASS ! SYSTEM OF STAINLESS STEEL LOUVERS UNDERNEATH THE
PROJECT +UMAS VISIT TO 4AUTS HOUSE HAD A SIGNImCANT UPPER LEVEL ROOF ACT AS EAVES ABOVE THE WATER !S THE
7!4%2',!33
SURFACE OF THE POOL STRETCHES TOWARD THE EDGE OF IMPRESSIVELY 4HE THREE
STORY ENTRANCE COURT IS CROSSED
THE TERRACE IT UNITES VISUALLY WITH THE SURFACE OF THE BY A GLASS BRIDGE WHILE ON ITS WALLS WATER CASCADES
0ACImC /CEAN /N TOP OF THE POOL A GLASS BOX nOATS DOWN AND nOWS INTO A SHALLOW POOL ON THE GROUND LEVEL
WHOSE VARIOUS GLASS MEMBRANES AS WELL AS THOSE OF 4HE POOL EXTENDS UNDER AN OPEN PART OF THE BUILDING
THE ALL
GLASS FURNITURE BRING ABOUT UNEXPECTED WHICH PROVIDES ACCESS TO THE GARDEN 4HE SOUND OF THE
REnECTIONS FURTHER BLURRING THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN WATER AS IT nOWS INTO THE POOL FURTHER EMPHASIZES THE
INSIDE AND OUT SOOTHING POWER OF NATURE THAT GIVES THE GUESTHOUSE ITS
)N ADDITION TO ITS SPECTACULAR THIRD
nOOR DESIGN THE SPECIAL CHARACTER
7ATER'LASS FEATURES SEVERAL OTHER MEANS OF ESTABLISHING /N THE INTERIOR THE 7ATER'LASS FEATURES TWO LARGE
A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ARCHITECTURE AND NATURE 4HE 7ESTERN
STYLE GUEST ROOMS ON THE TOP nOOR AND TWO
BUILDING INTEGRATES AN INTIMATE INTERNAL COURTYARD SMALLER *APANESE
STYLE TATAMI ROOMS AS WELL AS A KITCHEN
THAT EVENTUALLY CONNECTS TO THE LANDSCAPE OUTSIDE 4O AND DININGLIVING ROOM ON THE SECOND nOOR 4HE GROUND
ACHIEVE A CONNECTION THAT IS NOT ONLY SPATIAL IN NATURE LEVEL ACCOMMODATES A LARGE *APANESE
STYLE MEETING
+UMA AGAIN USED GLASS AND WATER HERE GENEROUSLY AND ROOM A COMMON BATH OFURO AND THE COURTYARD
4/0 2//& /& ',!33 ,/5.'%
"/44/- ),,5-).!4%$ ',!33 &,//2 /& ,/5.'%
02%6)/53 0!'%3 ).4%2)/2 /& ',!33 (/53%
7!4%2',!33
4/0 %.42!.#% #/524 7)4( ',!33 "2)$'%
"/44/- $%4!), /& ',!33 34!)27!9
2)6%2&),4%2 4!-!+!7! &5+53()-! 02%&%#452%
4HE 2IVER&ILTER IS A TRADITIONAL *APANESE NOODLE SHOP VARIETY OF EFFECTS !S ONE MOVES ALONG THE BUILDING
AND RESTAURANT LOCATED IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS TYPICAL IT CONTINUOUSLY CHANGES IN QUALITY DEPENDING ON
FOR *APANESE PROVINCES /NE SIDE OF THE SITE IS BORDERED ONES VIEWPOINT
BY THE PICTURESQUE SCENERY OF THE !BUKUMA 2IVERS 4HE RESTAURANT IS ENTERED ON THE UPPER LEVEL WHERE
/TSUJIGATAKI &ALLS WHILE THE OTHER SIDE FACES THE BUSY IT FACES THE MOTORWAY AND APPEARS TO BE A ONE
STORY
MOTORWAY THAT CONNECTS &UKUSHIMA !IRPORT WITH THE STRUCTURE !S THE SITE SLOPES TOWARD THE WATER HOWEVER
CITY OF 3UGA !RCHITECTURE HERE STANDING BETWEEN THE THE 2IVER&ILTER ACTUALLY EXTENDS DOWN ANOTHER LEVEL )N
DISTINCT ZONES OF NATURE AND TRANSPORTATION FUNCTIONS AS ADDITION A MAJOR PORTION OF THE BUILDING ACCOMMODATING
A MEDIATOR BETWEEN THESE TWO CONnICTING ENVIRONMENTS THE NOODLE
PRODUCTION FACILITIES AND THE KITCHEN IS
+UMA THEREFORE DESIGNED THE SMALL PRIMARILY WOODEN EMBEDDED UNDERGROUND UNDERNEATH THE PARKING LOT
BUILDING TO ACT AS A mNELY WOVEN PIECE OF mLTER RATHER THAN 4HE INTERIOR OVERLOOKING THE SHALLOW STREAM OF WATER
A SOLID MASS OR OBJECT AND THE HILLY WOODEN LANDSCAPE BEYOND IS ELEGANT
! SET OF FOUR TYPES OF WOODEN SLATS EACH WITH A AND AIRY ALTERNATING WITH OPEN DECKS !LTOGETHER THE
DIFFERENT PITCH CONSTITUTES THE BUILDING 4HE FOUR TYPES BUILDINGCONmGURED AS A LIGHT AND TRANSPARENT SPATIAL
ARE COMBINED INTERVENED AND SUPERIMPOSED TO CREATE A MATRIXIS DESIGNED TO mLTER IN THE ENVIRONMENT
2)6%2&),4%2
&,//2
&,//2
2%34!52!.4
3(/0
,/5.'%
4%22!#%
+)4#(%.
&!#4/29
/00/3)4% 4/0
6)%7 &2/- 2)6%2
/00/3)4% "/44/-
3%#4)/.
4/0 ,%&4
3)4% 0,!.
"/44/- ,%&4
&,//2 0,!.3
4/0 2)'(4
2)6%23)$% %,%6!4)/.
4/0 3)$% %,%6!4)/.
"/44/- %.42!.#% %,%6!4)/.
2)6%2&),4%2
4/0 ).4%2)/2 6)%7
"/44/- 6)%7 /& 3(/0 &2/- /543)$% 4%22!#%
./( 34!'% ). 4(% &/2%34 4/9/-! 4/-%
'5. -)9!') 02%&%#452%
4/0 $2%33).' 2//-
6)%7 /& ).3)$% 3%!4).' "2)$'%
34!'%
!2%! !#2/33 4(% #/5249!2$
"!#+ 0!33!'%7!9
2)'(4 /543)$% 3%!4).'
).3)$% 3%!4).'
&,//2 0,!.
()2%/. 4%22!#%
"/44/- 4%22!#%
%.42!.#% !.$
3%#4)/.3
%8()")4)/. (!,,
/00/3)4%
$%4!), /& ).3)$%
3%!4).' !2%!
./( 34!'% ). 4(% &/2%34
.OH PERFORMANCE *APANS ANCIENT FORM OF THEATER WAS INTRODUCED DURING THE -EIJI ERA o AND STILL
mRST ESTABLISHED IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY 4HE TOWN OF CONTINUES TODAY 4HE ORIGINS OF .OH HOWEVER ARE FOUND
4OYOMA IN -IYAGI 0REFECTURE IS KNOWN FOR ITS UNIQUE IN PLAYS THAT WERE PERFORMED IN PLACES SURROUNDED BY
STYLE OF .OH PERFORMANCE CALLED 4OYOMA .OH WHICH NATURE WITH WIND AND OTHER NATURAL PHENOMENA PLAYING
ORIGINATED DURING THE %DO ERA o +UMAS A ROLE ALONG WITH THE PERFORMANCE 7ITH HIS PROJECT +UMA
.OH STAGE WAS DESIGNED FOR PERFORMING .OH IN A FOREST AIMED AT REPRODUCING .OH IN ITS ORIGINAL STYLE )NSTEAD OF
SURROUNDING 4OYOMA 4HE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPT OF THE BUILDING A PIECE OF ARCHITECTURE FOR THE PERFORMANCE HE
PROJECT WAS TO BOTH LIBERATE THE STAGE FROM AND INTEGRATE CREATED A GARDEN FOR IT
IT WITH THE WOODED ENVIRONMENT !RRANGED ACROSS A SMALL 4HE .OH STAGE TRADITIONALLY REPRESENTS THE WORLD
COURTYARD THE LIGHT AND LARGELY OPEN WOODEN STRUCTURES OF DEATH AND THE BEYOND WHEREAS THE SPECTATORS SEATING
ARE IMMERSED IN NATURE WHILE STAKING OUT A DISTINCT PLACE AREA STANDS FOR THE WORLD OF LIFE "Y PLACING 3HIRASU
IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF THIS RURAL COMMUNITY STONES ON THE COURTYARD BETWEEN THE STAGE AND THE
4YPICALLY A .OH STAGE IS BUILT INDEPENDENTLY WITHIN AN SEATING STRUCTURES +UMA REINFORCED A CLEAR SEPARATION
OVERALL ARCHITECTURAL COMPOUND 4HIS TREATMENT WAS mRST BETWEEN THE TWO SPACES AND THUS THE TWO WORLDS
./( 34!'% ). 4(% &/2%34
02%6)/53 0!'%3 6)%7 /& /54$//2 3%!4).' !2%!
/00/3)4% 4/0 6)%7 /& 7%34 %.42!.#% &!#!$%
/00/3)4% "/44/- 6)%7 /& ).$//2 3%!4).' !2%! &2/- 34!'%
!"/6% $%4!), /& 7%34 %.42!.#% &!#!$%
-%-/2)!, 0!2+ 4!+!3!+) '5--! 02%&%#452% 02/*%#4
!
#
" "
-EMORIALS ARE BUILT TO ESTABLISH A CONNECTION BETWEEN WALL WITH PUNCTURED OPENINGS FOR AIR CIRCULATION
THE PRESENT AND THE PAST BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH 0ATHS LINED WITH VERTICAL GLASS PANES LEAD THE VISITORS
4HEY USUALLY TAKE THE FORM OF STONE MONUMENTS THROUGH THE SPACE TWICE /N THE GLASS THE NAMES OF
IT IS +UMAS BELIEF HOWEVER THAT THE SOLID FORM OF THE DECEASED ARE ENGRAVED ARRANGED ACCORDING TO AN
A MONUMENT MAY INTRUDE ON THE INTIMACY OF REAL ORDER THAT SPECImES THE REGION OF EACH PERSONS ORIGIN
MEMORIES #ONSEQUENTLY FOR THIS MEMORIAL DEDICATED 4HE VISITOR mRST OPERATES A COMPUTER PANEL IN
TO THE LATE EMPLOYEES OF A PRIVATE COMPANY IN 'UMMA ORDER TO ACCESS THE RECORDED ELECTRONIC SITE OF
0REFECTURE HE PROPOSED INSTEAD A LANDSCAPE GARDEN THE DECEASED /NCE THE LOCATION OF THE DECEASEDS
4HE COMPUTER SYSTEM CONTAINED IN THIS GARDEN NAME WITHIN THE -EMORIAL 0ARK IS CONmRMED A PIECE
EFFECTIVELY LINKS CYBERSPACE AND LANDSCAPE AND OF MUSIC BY +ENICHI 3AKAKIBARA PECULIAR TO EACH
CONCEPTUALLY MINIMIZES THE PRESENCE OF AN OBJECT INDIVIDUAL ENCOUNTER STARTS TO PLAY CORRESPONDING
+UMAS PROPOSAL FOR THE -EMORIAL 0ARK IS BASED ON WITH THE VISITORS FOOTSTEPS ON HIS WAY TO THE SITE )N
ABSTRACTING AND CONDENSING THE LANDSCAPE OF 'UMMA ADDITION TO THE MUSIC LIGHTING EFFECTS CONTRIBUTE TO
0REFECTURE INCLUDING THE 4AKASAKI AND (ARUNA THE INTERACTIVE ENVIRONMENT !T +UMAS -EMORIAL 0ARK
MOUNTAINS INTO A SITE OF BY FEET BY THE RECOLLECTION OF THE DEAD IS THUS ACHIEVED THROUGH A
METERS WHICH IS SURROUNDED BY A PERIMETER MULTIMEDIA SIMULATION RATHER THAN A PHYSICAL OBJECT
-%-/2)!, 0!2+
! ! 3%#4)/.
" " 3%#4)/.
4+
#
# 3%#4)/.
0!4( ! 0%2&/2!4%$ 34%%, 0%2)-%4%2 7!,,
0!4( " 6%24)#!, ',!33 0!.%3
0!4( # #/-054%2 0!.%,
0!4( $ 30%!+%2 !.$ #/-054%2 $)30,!9
0!4( % -)#2/0(/.%
0!4( &
/00/3)4% 4/0 0,!.
!"/6% 3%#4)/.3
+)4!+!-) #!.!, -53%5- )3()./-!+) -)9!') 02%&%#452%
+)4!+!-) #!.!, -53%5-
/00/3)4% 4/0 /54%2 0,!:! -%#(!.)#!, 2//-
3)4% 0,!. )..%2 0,!:! 0!33!'%
3,/0% 0!4( /. 4(% (),,
/00/3)4% -)$$,%
6)%7 &2/- 4(% $)34!.#%
/00/3)4% "/44/-
,!.$3#!0% /6%2 4(% 2//& /& 4(%
-53%5-
4/0
3%#4)/.
"/44/-
&,//2 0,!.
4HE +ITAKAMI #ANAL -USEUM IS A SMALL GALLERY AND +UMAS INTENTION WAS TO RECREATE THIS BRIDGE BETWEEN
RECREATION AREA AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE +ITAKAMI NATURE AND ARCHITECTURE IN HIS DESIGN
#ANAL ONE OF THE OLDEST CANALS IN *APAN AND THE 6ISITORS ENTER ON THE UPPER LEVEL OF THE MUSEUM
+ITAKAMI 2IVER 4HE STRUCTURE IS EMBEDDED IN THE UNDER A CANOPY OF A THIN STAINLESS
STEEL TUBE LOUVER
EMBANKMENT SO THAT ITS EXTERIOR IS ALMOST COMPLETELY WHICH IS REnECTED IN THE GLASS FACADE ALONG WITH THE
HIDDEN WITH THE SURROUNDING PARK AND A BICYCLE SERENE LANDSCAPE BEYOND &ROM THIS LEVEL WHICH
PATH CONTINUING ABOVE THE MUSEUM 4HE FACILITY WAS FUNCTIONS AS AN INNER PLAZA FEATURING A SMALL LOBBY
DESIGNED TO ENCOMPASS AN EXISTING WALKWAY ALONG AND SOME SERVICE FACILITIES ONE DESCENDS ON A CURVING
THE EMBANKMENT WHICH PASSES THROUGH THE RAMP INTO A LARGELY EMPTY SPACE THAT CONTAINS COMPUTER
UNDERGROUND SPACE MONITORS WITH TOUCH SCREENS /PERATING THESE VISITORS
4HE WALKWAY TAKING A 5
SHAPE VIRTUALLY TURNS CAN ACCESS AUDIO
VISUAL INFORMATION ON A WIDE VARIETY
INTO ARCHITECTURE THE OUTSIDE LANDSCAPE AND THE OF CANALS ALL OVER THE WORLD &ROM THE GALLERY THE
ARCHITECTURE OF THE BUILDING THUS BECOME CONNECTED CONTINUING RAMP OF THE CURVING PASSAGE LEADS TO THE
ENTITIES FORMING CONTINUITY ALONG A SINGLE LINE AND EXIT OF THE BUILDING
RESULTING IN AN AMBIGUITY OF BOUNDARIES BETWEEN 4HIS PROJECT ALONG WITH THE +IRO
SAN /BSERVATORY
ARCHITECTURE LANDSCAPE AND INFRASTRUCTURE ! CANAL AND THE (ORAI /NSEN "ATH (OUSE REMAINS ONE OF
CAN BE CONSIDERED AS BEING BOTH NATURAL AND ARTImCIAL +UMAS MOST MINIMALIST ARCHITECTURAL STATEMENTS
4/0 /6%2!,, 6)%7 /& 4(% "52)%$ -53%5-
"/44/- %.42!.#% $%4!),
+)4!+!-) #!.!, -53%5-
4/0 )..%2 0,!:!
"/44/- ,/7%2
,%6%, $)30,!9 !2%!
34/.% -53%5- .!35 .!35
'5. 4/#()') 02%&%#452%
4/0
$%4!), /& .%7 !$$)4)/.
"/44/-
3)4% 0,!.
/00/3)4% 4/0
3/54( !.$ ./24( %,%6!4)/.3
/00/3)4% -)$$,%
3%#4)/.3
N
/00/3)4% "/44/-
&,//2 0,!.
34/.% -53%5-
3/54( %,%6!4)/. ./24( %,%6!4)/.
!002/!#(
%.42!.#% (!,,
/&&)#%
2%&,%#4).' 0//,
,)"2!29
'!,,%29
4%! 2//-
%8()")4)/. 30!#%
4HIS PROJECT AIMED AT RESTORING THE THREE TRADITIONAL +UMA EXPERIMENTED WITH THE MATERIAL FOR AN EXTENDED
*APANESE STOREHOUSES ON THE SITE 4HE PROGRAM FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME IN ORDER TO ARRIVE AT THE DESIRED RESULT
NEW MUSEUM OF STONE ARTS AND CRAFTS CALLED FOR THE 4HE OTHER TYPE OF WALL CONSISTS OF A POROUS
REUSE OF THESE SEPARATE OLD STONE STRUCTURES WHICH WERE ARRANGEMENT OF STONE BLOCKS CUT TO DIMENSIONS OF
TO BE UNImED INTO A JOINT COMPLEX BY THE INTRODUCTION BY BY INCHES BY BY MM
OF NEW SPACES AND PASSAGEWAYS 4HE NEW STRUCTURES 4HESE BLOCKS WERE PLACED SO AS TO CREATE NUMEROUS
MADE UP OF TWO TYPES OF LIGHTWEIGHT WALLS BUILT OF THE GAPS AT RANDOM LOCATIONS UP TO THE STRUCTURAL
SAME STONE THAT WAS USED FOR THE EXISTING BUILDINGS LIMITATIONS OF LAYERED STONE WALLS 3OME OF THESE SMALL
ALSO ACCOMPLISHED A SPATIAL UNImCATION BETWEEN THE GAPS WERE mLLED WITH THIN WHITE MARBLE PLATES THAT
INTERIOR SPACES AND THE IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT mLTER IN SOFT LIGHT CONTRASTING WITH THE DIRECT SUNLIGHT
4HE mRST TYPE OF WALL IS COMPOSED OF A SERIES OF PENETRATING THROUGH THE CLEAR OPENINGSAN EFFECT THAT
STONE SLATS LOUVERS CUT TO DIMENSIONS OF BY IS NOT UNLIKE THAT AT THE 9ALE 5NIVERSITY ,IBRARY OF
INCHES BY MM !S STONE IS A HEAVY AND HARD DESIGNED BY 'ORDON "UNSHAFT OF 3KIDMORE /WINGS
MATERIAL PROCESSING IT INTO THIS SLIM SIZE WAS A SERIOUS AND -ERRILL
CHALLENGE BUT A SENSE OF LIGHTNESS AMBIGUITY AND +UMAS STONE WALLS WITH THEIR DELICATE PERMEABILITY
SOFTNESS WAS TO BE GAINED BY iDE
SOLIDIFYINGw THE COMPOSE A SYSTEM OF AMBIGUOUS SITE BOUNDARIES
MATERIAL 7ITH THE HELP AND EXPERTISE OF THE CLIENT THE AS THE LIGHT mLTERING IN DIVIDES THEM INTO INmNITE
OWNER OF THE QUARRY FROM WHERE THE STONE WAS OBTAINED PARTICLES
02%6)/53 0!'%3 6)%7 &2/- 4(% 342%%4
4/0 .)'(4 6)%7 /& #/5249!2$
"/44/- 6)%7 /& #/5249!2$ &2/- -!). '!,,%29
34/.% -53%5-
4/0 6)%7 &2/- 4(% ,)"2!29 4(2/5'( 34/.% 3,!43
"/44/- ).4%2)/2 6)%7 /& 3-!,,%2 '!,,%29
-53%5- /& !.$/ ()2/3()'% "!4/ .!35
'5. 4/#()') 02%&%#452%
!NDO (IROSHIGE o IS ONE OF THE BEST
4HE SEQUENCE OF MOVEMENT THROUGH THE BUILDING
KNOWN ARTISTS IN THE HISTORY OF *APANESE WOODBLOCK EMPHASIZES THE MAGICAL AMBIENCE OF BLURRED
PRINTING OR UKIYOE PAINTING !FTER THE (ANSIN BOUNDARIES BETWEEN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE AND BETWEEN
%ARTHQUAKE OF MANY ORIGINAL PIECES OF HIS WORK THE REAL AND THE VIRTUAL 0ARTICULARLY IMPRESSIVE
WERE DISCOVERED IN THE RUINS AND EVENTUALLY DONATED IS THE APPROACH TO THE ENTRANCE WHICH BRINGS VISITORS
TO THE CITY OF "ATO IN 4OCHIGI 0REFECTURE 4HE MUSEUM TO A COVERED BUT OTHERWISE OPEN PASSAGE UNDER THE
HOUSING (IROSHIGES PRINTS IS A SIMPLE LONG BUILDING BUILDING !T ITS END A GREEN BAMBOO GROVE CAN BE
OF STEEL AND GLASS WITH A PITCHED ROOF 4HE ENTIRE SEEN BEYOND THE GRAVELLED COURT BEHIND THE MUSEUM
STRUCTURE IS WRAPPED BY LAYERS OF WOODEN SCREENS &ROM THIS PASSAGE ONE ENTERS A SMALL CAFÎ ALSO
4HESE DENSELY SPACED SLATS HELP TO RENDER THE COMPOSED OF GLASS AND WOODEN SCREENS OR THE
BOUNDARIES OF THE BUILDING TRANSPARENT TRANSLUCENT MUSEUM ITSELF
OR OPAQUE DEPENDING ON THE POSITION OR MOVEMENT (IROSHIGES UKIYOE PRINTS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY HIS
OF THE OBSERVER AND THE CHANGING LIGHT THAT mLTERS INTO VISUALIZATION OF CHANGES IN NATURE CAPTURING THE
THE SPACE "Y VIRTUE OF THIS WOODEN GRILL THE BUILDING SHIFTING PHENOMENA OF LIGHT WIND RAIN AND FOG IN
THUS ALTERS ITS ESSENCE OSCILLATING BETWEEN PRESENCE A VIVID COMBINATION OF COLORS +UMA IN THIS PROJECT
AND VIRTUAL ABSENCE !DDITIONAL ELEMENTS FURTHER HAS APPLIED (IROSHIGES FUNDAMENTAL APPROACH TO ART
ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE OF THE EPHEMERAL IN +UMAS WITH AND WITHIN THE VOCABULARY OF ARCHITECTURE BY
ARCHITECTURE GLASS AND SEVERAL PLASTIC MEMBRANES DESIGNING THE MUSEUM AS A SYSTEM OF WOODEN GRIDS
INTERACT WITH THE VIBRANT TEXTURE OF THE WOODEN HE HAS SUCCEEDED IN CREATING A BUILDING THAT ACTS AS A
SCREENS REnECTING AND mLTERING VIEWS BOTH INSIDE SENSOR OF LIGHT 4HE MUSEUM CAN BE RIGHTLY CONSIDERED
AND OUT AS ONE OF HIS MOST IMPRESSIVE WORKS
-53%5- /& !.$/ ()2/3()'%
/00/3)4%
%.42!.#% 4/ %8()")4)/. !2%!
4/0
3)4% 0,!.
-)$$,%
%,%6!4)/.3
"/44/-
&,//2 0,!.
&/,,/7).' 302%!$ ,%&4
6)%7 /& /0%. %.42!.#% 0!33!'%
&/,,/7).' 302%!$ 2)'(4
$%4!), /& ./24( %,%6!4)/.
./24( %,%6!4)/.
3/54( %,%6!4)/.
7%34 %,%6!4)/.
%.42!.#%
%.42!.#% (!,,
%8()")4)/. 2//-
!5$)/6)35!, 2//-
/&&)#%
%8()")4)/. 02%0!2!4)/. 2//-
,/!$).' 30!#%
34/2!'%
/54$//2 0!33!'%
"!-"//
3(/0
2%34!52!.4
-53%5- /& !.$/ ()2/3()'%
-53%5- /& !.$/ ()2/3()'%
02%6)/53 0!'%3 ./24( %,%6!4)/. 7)4( "!-"// '2/6% ). "!#+'2/5.$
/00/3)4% 4/0 6)%7 /& %.42!.#% &2/- %8()")4)/. !2%!
/00/3)4% "/44/- 0!33!'% &2/- %.42!.#% (!,, 4/ %8()")4)/. 2//-3
!"/6% 6)%7 4(2/5'( /0%. %.42!.#% 0!33!'%
4!+!9!.!') #/--5.)49 #%.4%2 4!+!9!.!') .))'!4! 02%&%#452%
4/0
3)4% 0,!.
"/44/-
6)%7 &2/- ).3)$%
/00/3)4% 4/0
.)'(4 6)%7
/00/3)4% "/44/- ,%&4
&,//2 0,!.
/00/3)4% "/44/- 2)'(4
3%#4)/. !.$ %,%6!4)/.3
4HIS FACILITY WAS BUILT IN THE CENTER OF A VILLAGE LAID THE EXTERIOR WITH SHEETS OF LOCALLY MANUFACTURED
OUT ACCORDING TO A CIRCULAR PLAN -ADE UP OF THATCH
*APANESE PAPER +ADODE
WASHI USED IN PLACE OF GLASS
ROOF COUNTRY HOUSES MINKA 4AKAYANAGI IS LOCATED OR WINDOW
SASH +UMA ALSO USED THIS PAPER TO COVER
IN A REGION OF .IIGATA 0REFECTURE KNOWN FOR HEAVY THE nOOR AND STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
SNOWFALL )N MANY WAYS THE DESIGN OF THE COMMUNITY 4HE SMALL BUILDING SERVES VARIOUS PURPOSES FOR THE
CENTER BORROWS ELEMENTS FROM THE COUNTRY HOUSES THAT RURAL COMMUNITY AND IN ADDITION TO A LARGER MEETING
SURROUND IT BUT +UMA REDEmNED THESE ELEMENTS BY SPACE INCLUDES A KITCHEN TOILET AND STORAGE FACILITIES
USING CONTEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES AND NEW /NE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE FEATURES OF THE MEETING
MATERIALS FOR HIS BUILDING 7HILE THE MAJORITY OF THE ROOM IS ITS OPEN LOFT SPACE WHICH REVEALS THE WOODEN
STRUCTURE IS MADE OF WOOD AND THE ROOF IS COVERED STRUCTURAL FRAME OF THE ROOF COVERED WITH THE SOFTLY
WITH THATCH +UMA APPLIED DIAGONAL POST
TENSIONED TEXTURED WHITE PAPER 7ITH THE COMMUNITY CENTER
SYNTHETIC TENDONS AS STRUCTURAL MEANS AS WELL AS +UMA AIMED AT CREATING A COCOONLIKE SPACE COMPOSED
3TYROFOAM INSULATION 4HE INTERIOR IS SEPARATED FROM OF *APANESE PAPER
4!+!9!.!') #/--5.)49 #%.4%2
-%%4).' 30!#% "!#+ $//2
%!24( &,//2 34/2!'%
+)4#(%. -%#(!.)#!, 30!#%
34/2!'% /54%2 #/22)$/2
"!4( 2//- 2)#% &)%,$
4/0 ).4%2)/2 6)%7
"/44/- $%4!), /& %84%2)/2 7!,,
/00/3)4% 6)%7 /& %84%2)/2 7)4( 2)#% &)%,$3
4!+!9!.!') #/--5.)49 #%.4%2
.!35 ()34/29 -53%5- .!35 .!35
'5. 4/#()') 02%&%#452%
4HE .ASU (ISTORY -USEUM IS LOCATED IN !SHINO /N THE INSIDE OF THE GLASS WALLS ARE SEMI
TRANSPARENT
A HISTORIC OUTPOST ALONG THE MAIN ROAD DURING THE %DO SLIDING PANELS MADE OF STRAW AND ALUMINUM MESH
ERA o WHICH THE FAMOUS TRAVELING :EN VISUALLY SEPARATING THE BUILDING FROM THE GARDEN AND
POET -ATSUO "ASHO o IMMORTALIZED IN HIS MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO CONTROL EXTERIOR LIGHT IN A VARIETY
HAIKU DIARY /KU
NO
HOSO
MICHI 4HE .ARROW 2OAD TO OF WAYS )N ADDITION PARTITIONS MADE OF VINES COLLECTED
THE $EEP .ORTH 4HE MUSEUM WAS ESTABLISHED TO TELL FROM THE HILLS BEHIND THE MUSEUM ARE POSITIONED AT
THE RICH HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF .ASU ITS SITE CONTAINS STRATEGIC LOCATIONS %FFECTIVELY COMBINING A TRANSPARENT
A VARIETY OF HISTORIC ELEMENTS INCLUDING A RESTORED SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT WITH NATURAL MATERIALSAS +UMA
GATE AN OLD STOREHOUSE AND A STONE COLUMN FROM AN DID WITH THIS PROJECTIS KNOWN AS THE SUKIYA SPIRIT
EARLIER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 4O TIE THESE ITEMS TOGETHER IN *APANESE BUILDING DESIGN 3UCH DESIGN EVOKES AN
+UMA ENCLOSED THEM IN A SIMPLE LONG TRANSPARENT ATMOSPHERE OF LIGHTNESS AND AIRINESS WHICH IS AT THE
GLASS BUILDING HEART OF TRADITIONAL *APANESE ARCHITECTURE
.!35 ()34/29 -53%5-
/00/3)4%
%84%2)/2 6)%7
4/0
3)4% 0,!.
-)$$,%
%,%6!4)/.3 !.$ &,//2 0,!.
"/44/-
3%#4)/.
3/54( %,%6!4)/.
7%34 %,%6!4)/.
!002/!#( ,/!$).' 30!#%
%.42!.#% (!,, -%#(!.)#!, 30!#%
%8()")4)/. 30!#% /&&)#%
!2#()6%
/00/3)4% 6)%7 /& %8()")4)/. 30!#%
4/0 %84%2)/2 $%4!), 7)4( /6%2(!.').' %!6%
"/44/- ).4%2)/2 $%4!),
4/0 6)%7 &2/- ).3)$% 4(2/5'( 3,)$).' 0!.%,3
"/44/- 3!-% 6)%7 ). 7).4%2
/00/3)4% $%4!), /& %.42!.#% (!,, 3(/7).' 0!24)4)/.3 -!$% /& 6).%3
.!35 ()34/29 -53%5-
4!+!3!+) 0!2+).' "5),$).' 4!+!3!+) '5--! 02%&%#452%
4/0
3)4% 0,!.
-)$$,%
%,%6!4)/.
"/44/-
490)#!, &,//2 0,!.
/00/3)4%
%,%6!4)/. $%4!),
! PARKING STRUCTURE IS A UNIQUE FACILITY SINCE WITH 4HE ARCHITECT INSTEAD PROPOSED ATTACHING BROWN
ITS ROADWAYS AND OTHER ASPECTS OF CONSTRUCTION IT IS PRE CAST CONCRETE LOUVERS ALTERNATING WITH FROSTED GLASS
LARGELY AN ENGINEERING PRODUCT YET IS CONSIDERED A LOUVERS TO THE OUTSIDE OF A STEEL FRAME 7HILE THE
BUILDING 4HE 4AKASAKI 0ARKING "UILDING DESIGNED COLOR OF THE LOUVERS APPROXIMATED THE COLOR OF BRICK
TO ACCOMMODATE AS MANY AS CARS IS FEET THE SENSE OF OPENNESS ACHIEVED BY THE LOUVER SYSTEM
METERS LONG AND ENCOMPASSES SEVERAL MILES OF EMPHASIZED THE DUALITY OF THE BUILDING 4HE CHOICE
WINDING ROADWAYS 4HE LONG STRUCTURE RESULTS IN A LARGE OF CONCRETE AND GLASS LOUVERS AND THE SPECImC ANGLE
EXTERIOR THAT IS OF ARCHITECTURAL CONCERN REPRESENTING AT WHICH EACH WAS INSTALLED WERE DETERMINED BY THE
THE MODERN DAY DUALITY OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE VARYING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR
WHICH IS PARTICULARLY EVIDENT IN THIS URBAN CONTEXT A AND THE SPECImC LOCATION OF THE LOUVERS 7HERE THE
CITY THAT IS EXTREMELY AUTOMOBILE ORIENTED LOUVERS ARE EXPOSED TO THE OPEN SKY UNOBSTRUCTED BY
!DMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS CONCERNING THE FACILITY ANY BUILDING IN FRONT THEY WERE INSTALLED PERPENDICULAR
REQUIRED THE MEETING OF TWO CONDITIONS TO CREATE A TO THE FACADE SO AS NOT TO HAMPER OUTSIDE VIEWS
BUILDING THAT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A PARKING LOT AND WHILE IN THE AREA OF ELEVATORS AND STAIRCASES FROSTED
TO ADAPT IT TO THE PREVAILING COLOR OF 4AKASAKITHE COLOR GLASS LOUVERS WERE USED IN ORDER TO LET IN DIFFUSED
OF BRICK #ONSIDERING THE LOCATION OF THE STRUCTURE IN NATURAL SUNLIGHT
FRONT OF 4AKASAKI 3TATION WHICH CAN BE REGARDED AS )N ADDITION TO THE VARIED DESIGN OF THE LOUVER SYSTEM
THE GATEWAY TO THE CITY THESE DEMANDS MIGHT SEEM THE UNUSUAL QUALITY OF THE STRUCTURE IS FURTHER ENHANCED
REASONABLE +UMA HOWEVER CONSIDERED THEM WORTH BY THE USE OF SPECIAL DETAILS 4HE PRE STRESSED CONCRETE
CHALLENGING AS HE FEARED THAT A COMPLIANCE WITH SUCH LOUVERS ARE COVERED WITH STAINLESS STEEL MESH INSTEAD
REQUIREMENTS MIGHT RESULT IN AN UNINSPIRED APPROACH OF ORDINARY STEEL COVERING IN ORDER TO VISUALLY INCREASE
TO THE DESIGN $ESIGNING THE PARKING FACILITY TO LOOK THEIR SHARP ANGLES AND MASK THEIR MASSIVENESS 'LASS
EXACTLY LIKE A REGULAR BUILDINGIN THE FORM OF A LOUVERS ON THE OTHER HAND ARE SECURED INTO PLACE BY
BOX SHAPED BRICK VOLUME WITH SMALL WINDOWS FOR TRANSLUCENT SILICON GASKETS INSTEAD OF REGULAR WINDOW
EXAMPLEWOULD HAVE IGNORED THE INTERESTING DUALITY SASHES 4HE LOUVERS THUS LOOK EVEN LESS LIKE ORDINARY
OF THE FACILITY STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
4!+!3!+) 0!2+).' "5),$).'
/00/3)4% %,%6!4)/. $%4!),
4/0 !%2)!, 6)%7 &2/- 4(% 3/54(
"/44/- 6)%7 /& &2/.4 &!#!$%
3%!&),4%2 /./$! 9!-!'5#() 02%&%#452%
02%6)/53 0!'%
4()2$ &,//2 ',!33 ,/5.'%
4()3 0!'% 4/0
%.42!.#% %,%6!4)/.
!.$ 0,!.3
4()3 0!'% "/44/-
',!33 %.42!.#%
2)'(4 0!'%
',!33 (/53%
7ITH HIS DESIGN FOR THIS RESTAURANT LOCATED AT THE KNOWN FOR PRODUCING HIGH QUALITY CLAY +UMA USED
EDGE OF THE OCEAN +UMA AIMED AT CREATING A STRONG LOCAL CLAY TO BAKE BRICKS WITH THREE HOLES 4HESE
LINK BETWEEN THE ARCHITECTURE AND THE SEA )N ORDER WERE THEN LAID VERTICALLY SO THAT THE OCEAN IS MADE
TO CONNECT THE BUILDING INTIMATELY TO THE WATER VISIBLE THROUGH A NETWORK OF HOLES 3TEEL BARS ARE
AND BY EXTENSION THE CONSTRUCTED ARTImCIAL INSERTED AT JOINTS IN BOTH VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL
WORLD TO THE NATURAL+UMA MADE THE VOLUME AS DIRECTIONS AND mXED TO A STEEL FRAME AT THEIR TOP
POROUS AS POSSIBLE CREATING VARIOUS APERTURES IN AND BOTTOM ENDS
THE STRUCTURE 4HE OCEAN SIDE FACADE ON THE OTHER HAND IS
!S A mRST STEP IN THIS DIRECTION THE ARCHITECT DIVIDED CONSTRUCTED ENTIRELY OF GLASS WHICH IS ATTACHED DIRECTLY
THE RESTAURANT INTO TWO SECTIONSA ONE STORY BAR AND A TO SOLID STEEL COLUMNS 7HILE THE BRICK WALLS BEAR THE
TWO STORY RESTAURANTWITH A LARGE COVERED OPENING IN SEISMIC FORCES THAT MAY OCCUR THE COLUMNS CARRY ONLY
BETWEEN 4HE IN BETWEEN SPACE SERVES AS THE ENTRANCE THE VERTICAL LOAD THIS STRUCTURAL SYSTEM MADE THE
TO THE FACILITY SO THAT VISITORS CATCH SIGHT OF THE HORIZON APPLICATION OF EXTREMELY mNE STEEL COLUMNS POSSIBLE
THAT LIES BEYOND THIS GATEWAY BEFORE APPROACHING EITHER 4HE OCEAN SIDE COLUMNS AND THE LAND SIDE WALLS ARE
ONE OF THE TWO BUILDINGS 4HE PRESENCE OF SHALLOW POOLS CONNECTED BY THE RIGID PLANE OF THE ROOF STRUCTURE
OF WATER IN THIS SPACE ANTICIPATES THE EXPERIENCE THAT #OMPOSED OF DENSELY SPACED WOODEN JOISTS IT PROVIDES
AWAITS THE GUESTS ON THE SEASHORE +UMA USED THE RHYTHM TO THE SPACE BENEATH
SAME METHOD OF APPROACHING A BUILDING THROUGH AN /N THE INTERIOR THE SOLID BACK WALLS THAT SEPARATE THE
OPEN PASSAGEWAY IN SOME OF HIS OTHER PROJECTS AS WELL PUBLIC SPACES FROM THE SERVICE AREAS BEHIND IN BOTH
INCLUDING THE 2IVER&ILTER THE 3TONE -USEUM AND THE THE BAR AND THE RESTAURANT ARE FACED WITH WOODEN CHIP
-USEUM OF !NDO (IROSHIGE BOARDS ARRANGED VERTICALLY ! MEZZANINE LEVEL IN THE
4HE WALLS FACING AWAY FROM THE OCEAN ARE MADE OF RESTAURANT BUILDING PROVIDES ADDITIONAL SEATING FOR GUESTS
BRICK TO PROVIDE PRIVACY FROM THE ROAD BEHIND YET THE AS WELL AS ROOMS FOR THE STAFF AND OTHER SERVICE SPACES
NUMEROUS PORES IN THE MATERIAL CONSTITUTE ANOTHER TYPE 4HE KITCHEN STORAGE AND WASHROOMS ARE LOCATED ON THE
OF OPENING !S THE BUILDING IS LOCATED IN A REGION mRST nOOR
3%!&),4%2
02%6)/53 0!'%
6)%7 &2/- 4(% 3%!
/00/3)4%
6)%7 /& $).).' (!,, &2/- 4%22!#%
4/0
.)'(4 6)%7 /& $).).' (!,,
/
-)$$,%
3)4% 0,!.
"/44/-
%,%6!4)/.3 !.$ &,//2 0,!.3
./24( %,%6!4)/.
&,//2
3/54( %,%6!4)/.
%!34 %,%6!4)/.
&,//2
"!2 0//,
2%34!52!.4 $).).' 2//-
+)4#(%. 0!.429
%.42!.#% 0/2#( 6/)$
4%22!#%
!"/6% $%4!), /& 2%34!52!.4 7).'
/00/3)4% 4/0 6)%7 /& /0%. 0!33!'% "%47%%. 4(% 47/ 7).'3
/00/3)4% "/44/- ).4%2)/2 6)%7 /& $).).' (!,,
3%!&),4%2
').:!. /.3%. (/4 302).' "!4( (/53% /"!.!:!7! 9!-!'!4! 02%&%#452%
&,//2
N
&,//2
0),/4)3 "!4(
%.42!.#% 6/)$
7!)4).' 2//- 3./7 -%,4).' 2//-
$2%33).' 2//- 4%22!#%
'INZAN /NSEN IS A HISTORIC HOT SPRING RESORT LOCATED IN AS AMBIGUOUS AS POSSIBLE ALLOWING THEIR SPACES TO
A DEEP VALLEY CARVED BY THE 'INZAN 2IVER !T THE HEART INTERACT AND INnUENCE EACH OTHER WHILE AT THE SAME
OF THE COMMUNITY ARE TWENTY WOODEN *APANESE INNS TIME MARKING SOME BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE TWO
RYOKANS SITUATED ALONG THE BANKS OF THE RIVER 4HE !CCORDINGLY HE DESIGNED A PERMEABLE WALL
TINY 'INZAN /NSEN (OT 3PRING "ATH (OUSE IS A PUBLIC OF LOUVERS THAT CAN BE MOVED TO ACHIEVE VARIOUS
FACILITY FOR BOTH RESIDENTS AND VISITORS RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE STREET AND THE ARCHITECTURE
!S THE RESORTS GROUND AREA FOR BUILDING IS LIMITED 4HE TWO OVERLAPPING SLIDING LOUVERS CREATE OPEN
ITS WOODEN STRUCTURES ARE ALL THREE TO FOUR STORIES HIGH AND ENCLOSED SECTIONS IN THE WALL 7HILE ONE OF THE
RESULTING IN A UNIQUE SCENERY COMPARED TO OTHER REGIONS LOUVERS IS WOODEN REMINISCENT OF TRADITIONAL *APANESE
IN *APAN WHERE HORIZONTAL WOODEN ARCHITECTURE WITH ARCHITECTURE THE OTHER IS MADE OF ACRYLIC MATERIAL
A MAXIMUM OF TWO STORIES DOMINATES 4HE SITE OF THE +UMAS SOLUTION THUS MET BOTH THE NEED FOR SEPARATION
PUBLIC BATH IS ALSO EXTREMELY SMALL AND NARROW 7HILE AND PRIVACY AND THE DESIRE FOR TRANSPARENCY !CHIEVING
THE WIDTH OF THE ROAD IN FRONT MEASURES JUST OVER SIX FEET PRIVACY WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE VISITORS TO *APANESE
TWO METERS THE DEPTH OF THE SITE VARIES BETWEEN ONLY PUBLIC BATHS ENTER THE POOL WITHOUT WEARING
SIX AND ABOUT NINETEEN FEET TWO AND SIX METERS SWIMWEAR ! CLOSE CONNECTION TO NATURE WAS ALSO
4HE PROXIMITY OF THE SMALL RIVER SUGGESTED CREATING DESIRABLE HOWEVER AS THE BATH IS TAKEN NOT SO MUCH
A CLOSE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ARCHITECTURAL SPACE FOR HYGIENIC REASONS VISITORS CLEANSE THEMSELVES
OF THE BATHHOUSE INSIDE AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT BEFORE ENTERING THE POOL BUT TO RELAX IN THE NATURAL
AND THE ROAD OUTSIDE ! SHARP SEPARATION OF THE HOT WATER +UMA HAS SUCCEEDED IN PROVIDING BOTH
ARCHITECTURE FROM ITS ENVIRONMENT BY MEANS OF A SOLID CONDITIONS IN A REMARKABLE WAY 4HE IMPRESSIVELY
WALL WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A LOSS OF A SENSE OF DEPTH MINIMALIST YET SOPHISTICATED ARCHITECTURE OF THE 'INZAN
BOTH INSIDE AND OUT CREATING AN OVERALL OPPRESSIVE /NSEN "ATH (OUSE IS SURPASSED ONLY BY THE SIMPLICITY
ATMOSPHERE +UMAS GOAL WAS INSTEAD TO ESTABLISH A OF HIS OTHER HOT SPRING BATH THE (ORAI /NSEN "ATH
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NATURE AND ARCHITECTURE THAT WAS (OUSE IN !TAMI
').:!. /.3%. (/4 302).' "!4( (/53%
/00/3)4% 4/0 ,%&4 3)4% 0,!.
/00/3)4% "/44/- ,%&4 %,%6!4)/.
/00/3)4% 2)'(4 &,//2 0,!.3 !.$ 3%#4)/.
4/0 $%4!), /& 500%2
,%6%, "!4(
"/44/- ).4%2)/2 6)%7 /& ,/7%2
,%6%, $2%33).' 2//-
').:!. /.3%. (/4 302).' "!4( (/53%
/00/3)4% %84%2)/2 6)%7 7)4( 3(544%23 #,/3%$
!"/6% $%4!), 7)4( 3(544%23 /0%.
0,!34)# (/53% -%'52/
+5 4/+9/ 02%&%#452%
'!,,%29
"%$2//-
"!4(2//-
35.+%. ,)'(4 #/524
,)6).' $).).' +)4#(%.345$)/
/54$//2 30!#% 7)4( $%#+ /& 0,!34)# ,/56%23
4%22!#%
"!3%-%.4
4/0
).4%2)/2 6)%7 /& &)234
&,//2
,)6).' $).).' !.$ +)4#(%.345$)/ !2%!3
"/44/-
&,//2 0,!.3
/00/3)4%
).4%2)/2 6)%7 /& &)234
&,//2 ,)6).'
$).).' !.$ +)4#(%.345$)/ !2%!3
&,//2
&,//2 2//&
0,!34)# (/53%
4HE 0LASTIC (OUSE DESIGNED FOR A PHOTOGRAPHER AND HIS PLASTIC BARS OF THE GARDEN FENCE THE VERANDA AND
MOTHER A WRITER IS LOCATED IN A DENSELY BUILT RESIDENTIAL BALCONY PROVIDE BOTH SCREENING AND EXPOSURE -ANY
AREA )TS SIMPLE FORM WAS LARGELY DETERMINED BY STATUTORY OTHER DETAILS FROM THE STAIRCASE TREADS TO THE mXINGS
REQUIREMENTS AND BUILDING LINES 4HE TWO
STORY STRUCTURE WERE ALSO EXECUTED IN PLASTIC WHILE FOR PRAGMATIC
INCLUDES A PHOTO STUDIO IN THE BASEMENT AND AN OPEN
REASONS THE LOAD
BEARING STRUCTURE WAS MADE OF STEEL
AIR STUDIO ON THE nAT ROOF WHICH AFFORDS A VIEW OVER THE &20 IS INCHES MILLIMETERS THICK AND
CITY 4HIS SPACE IS ALSO USED FOR PARTIES AS WELL AS FOR TEA COMES IN VARIOUS SHAPES )T IS A UNIQUE MATERIAL THAT
CEREMONIES WHICH ARE HELD IN THE REAR OF THE ROOF TERRACE SOMETIMES LOOKS LIKE RICE PAPER AND SOMETIMES LIKE
FOR FRIENDS OF THE CLIENT 6ARIOUS AREAS OF THE HOUSE ARE BAMBOO DEPENDING ON THE QUALITY OF THE CONTAINED
OPEN TO THE PUBLICTHE MOTHERS ROOM IN THE BASEMENT mBERS )N HIS DESIGN +UMA PAID SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE
IS A SMALL ANTIQUE MUSEUM AND THERE IS A CONSTANT CHANGING VISUAL QUALITY OF THIS MATERIAL "UTYL RUBBER
nOW OF PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF THE PHOTO STUDIO 4HE OPEN AND PLASTIC SCREWS WERE SELECTED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION
OUTDOOR SPACE ON THE GROUND nOOR BEHIND THE BUILDING SO AS NOT TO DIMINISH THE LIGHTNESS AND TRANSLUCENCY
IS USED AS A TEAROOM 4HE DECK OF THIS SPACE MADE OF THE PLASTIC
OF PLASTIC BARS IS SITUATED OVER A LARGE LIGHT
WELL THAT 4HE DESIGN FOR THE 0LASTIC (OUSE CAN BE SEEN
PROVIDES DAYLIGHT TO THE BASEMENT IN RELATION TO +UMAS QUEST TO ESCAPE FROM THE
4HE HOUSE FEATURES LARGE AREAS OF GLAZING ON THE MASSIVENESS OF THE CONCRETE BOX !S HE FORMULATED IT
GROUND nOOR BUT MOST PARTS OF THE BUILDING WERE MADE
OF &IBER 2EINFORCED 0LASTIC &20 IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE )F ) WERE TO DESCRIBE THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE TWENTIETH
THE DESIRED QUALITIES OF LIGHTNESS AND OPENNESS 4HIS CENTURY WITH ONE WORD IT WOULD BE iCONCRETEw )TS
MATERIAL WAS ALSO SEEN AS A mTTING RESPONSE TO THE FREEDOM AND UNIVERSALITY mT THE TWENTIETH CENTURY SO WELL
THAT OTHER LOCAL METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION WERE ABANDONED
CHAOTIC URBAN SURROUNDINGS +UMA WAS ATTRACTED TO
-OREOVER THE STRENGTH OF THE SOLID MASS ACHIEVED IN
THE OPPORTUNITY OF EXPERIMENTING WITH DIFFERENT KINDS
TRANSFORMATION FROM THICK LIQUID SUBSTANCE SUITED AN
OF PLASTIC AND DEVELOPING NEW DETAILS FOR THIS MATERIAL
ERA THAT DESIRED MONUMENTALITY AND SECURITY OF PRIVACY
4HE WALLS FACING THE STREET AND THE GARDEN ARE mNISHED 4HEREFORE TO SEEK FOR A SUBSTITUTE ;MATERIAL= IS NOT A MERE
INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY WITH PLASTIC PANELS WITH AN FORMAL PROPOSAL BUT AN ATTEMPT TO SUGGEST A PRINCIPLE OF
INTERMEDIATE LAYER OF TRANSLUCENT THERMAL INSULATION LIVING THAT REPLACES THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE TWENTIETH
4HE BEDROOMS ARE THUS LINKED TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD CENTURYFREEDOM OF COURSE IN THE SENSE OF THE ERA
WITHOUT SUFFERING ANY LOSS OF PRIVACY 3IMILARLY THE STRENGTH AND SECURITY
0,!34)# (/53%
/00/3)4% 35.+%. #/5249!2$ 5.$%2 4(% 0,!34)# ,/56%23
!"/6% $%4!), /& 4(% 0,!34)# ,/56%23$%#+ /6%2 4(% 35.+%. #/524
'2%!4 "!-"// 7!,, "%)*).' #().!
4/0
3)4% 0,!.
"/44/-
%84%2)/2 6)%7
/00/3)4% 4/0
&,//2 0,!.3
/00/3)4% -)$$,%
%,%6!4)/. !.$ 3%#4)/.
/00/3)4% "/44/-
$%4!), /& 3/54( %,%6!
4)/. 3(/7).' 0!24 /& 4(%
,/5.'%
7ITH THIS PROJECT A GUESTHOUSE LOCATED CLOSE TO THE SEEMS TO RUN VIRTUALLY ENDLESSLY ALONG THE UNDULATING
'REAT 7ALL +UMA INTENDED TO REINTERPRET TRADITIONAL RIDGELINE OF THE MOUNTAINOUS LANDSCAPE WITHOUT BEING
QUALITIES OF *APANESE ARCHITECTURE THROUGH THE USE OF DISCONNECTED FROM ITS SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT +UMA
BAMBOO AS BOTH STRUCTURAL AND NON STRUCTURAL ELEMENT WANTED TO ENDOW HIS PROJECT WHICH HE DELIBERATELY CALLED
4HE ARCHITECT WAS INTRIGUED BY THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS A iWALLw INSTEAD OF A iHOUSE w WITH THE SAME QUALITY
MATERIAL AS OPPOSED TO OTHER WOOD PRODUCTS WHICH ARE "AMBOO IS APPLIED EXTENSIVELY THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE
ALL PROCESSED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER BEFORE THEY ARE USED TO SHAPE BOUNDARIES IN THE FORM OF LIGHT SCREENS BUT
AS BUILDING MATERIALS BAMBOO CAN ONLY BE USED IN ITS THE HEART OF THE DESIGN IS A LOUNGE AT THE CENTER OF
ORIGINAL FORM AND IS THUS BOTH A MATERIAL AND A PRODUCT THE BUILDING 3ERVING AS A SMALL TEAROOM THIS SPACE
AT THE SAME TIME +UMAS DESIGN IN WHICH HE APPLIES HIS MADE UP ALMOST ENTIRELY OF BAMBOO IS SET IN A SHALLOW
USUAL METHOD OF iPARTICLIZATION w ESPECIALLY EMPHASIZES REnECTING POOL )T IS REACHED BY TWO STEPPING STONES THAT
THE DISPOSITION OF BAMBOO AS MATERIAL 0OSITIONING THE FORM A SMALL BRIDGE AND IS OPEN TO THE SOUTH TOWARD THE
INDIVIDUAL PIECES OF THE WOOD SO AS TO RESEMBLE BAMBOO 'REAT 7ALL WHICH IS VISIBLE FROM THIS SITE ! GLASS CANOPY
IN ITS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT +UMA SEEMS TO REVEAL THE SHELTERS THE LOUNGE WHILE THE USE OF BAMBOO BENEATH
TRUE ESSENCE OF THIS MATERIAL IN HIS DESIGN THE GLASS AND ELSEWHERE mLTERS IN LIGHT AND PROVIDES
4HE GUESTHOUSES CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE 'REAT 7ALL THE SPACE WITH AN EPHEMERAL QUALITY THAT MAKES THE
WAS ANOTHER IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THE DESIGN 4HE WALL EXPERIENCE OF THIS ARCHITECTURE ESPECIALLY MEMORABLE
'2%!4 "!-"// 7!,,
&,//2
&,//2
3/54( %,%6!4)/.
%.42!.#%
+)4#(%.
$).).' 2//-
,)6).' 2//-
34/2!'%
,/5.'%
"!4(2//-
'5%34 2//-
-!#().% 2//-
34!&& 2//-
'2%!4 "!-"// 7!,,
02%6)/53 0!'%3 ).4%2)/2 6)%73 /& "!-"// ,/5.'%
4/0 ).4%2)/2 /& +)4#(%. 7)4( 6)%7 /& $).).' !2%!
"/44/- 6)%7 /& +)4#(%. &2/- $).).' !2%!
/00/3)4% ).4%2)/2 $%4!),
'2%!4 "!-"// 7!,,
"!)3/ ). 4%-0,% -).!4/ +5 4/+9/ 02%&%#452%
&,//2
"!3%-%.4
&,//2
%.42!.#% (!,, +!../. (!,,
7).$"2%!+ 2//- -!). (!,,
!5$)4/2)5- ,)"2!29
$/2-)4/29 4%-0,%3 "52%!5
#/22)$/2 /54$//2 -!#().%
34/2!'% !2%!
0!2+).' (/4 7!4%2 3%26)#%
"!4(2//- 2//-
'5%34 2//- '5%34 2//-
(/53).' *!0!.%3%
349,% 2//-
",!#/.9 $29 !2%!
#,/3%4 ,)6).' 2//-
4%22!#% "%$2//-
"!#+ (!,, $2%33).' 2//-
-!34%23 (!,, -!#().% 2//-
,/""9 7!3().' 2//-
,)'(4).' 2//- %,%#42)# 2//-
7!)4).' 2//- '!2"!'% $5-0
4/0 ,%&4 3%#4)/. !.$ &,//2 0,!.3
"/44/- ,%&4 %,%6!4)/.
2)'(4 %,%6!4)/. $%4!),
"!)3/ ). 4%-0,%
!"/6% %.42!.#% 4/ 500%2 ,%6%, 05",)# &!#),)4)%3
4HIS PROJECT IS A NEW BUILDING FOR THE "AISO IN 4EMPLE IN SYMBOLIZE THE TEMPLE 4HE METAL LOUVERS APPEAR
4OKYO ONE OF THE CITYS OLDEST "UDDHIST TEMPLES BUILT TO CHANGE THEIR COLOR AND SHAPE DEPENDING ON THE
YEARS AGO )N HISTORIC TIMES TEMPLES AND CHURCHES DIRECTION AND INTENSITY OF THE LIGHT THAT FALLS ONTO
ACTED AS COMMUNITY CENTERS AND VENUES FOR ALL KINDS THEMTHE SLANTED WALL BECOMES AN ANTENNA OF NATURAL
OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN THE CITY 7ITH HIS DESIGN FOR THE PHENOMENA 4HE LOUVERS RISE UP FROM THE STREET LEVEL
NEW STRUCTURE +UMA WANTED TO GIVE BACK TO THE TEMPLE ALLOWING THE CITYS ACTIVITIES TO SPILL OVER INTO THE BUILDING
ITS LOST STATUS AS A FOCAL POINT AND AN INSTITUTION OPEN 4HE TEMPLE THUS BECOMES AN URBAN PUBLIC SPACE
TO CITIZENS )NSIDE THE TEMPLE ARE THREE HALLS ON THREE LEVELS
4HE LARGE COMPLEX IS COMPRISED OF TWO VOLUMES THE 4HE mRST nOOR HALL IS USED FOR CONCERTS AND CAN
SMALLER BUILDING HOUSES THE TEMPLE ITSELF AND ALL ITS ACCOMMODATE UP TO PEOPLE SERVING AS A
PUBLIC FUNCTIONS WHILE AN ADJOINING MULTISTORY BLOCK COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE THE
ACCOMMODATES APARTMENTS VISITORS QUARTERS AND OTHERS ARE SMALLER MEETING SPACES FOR FORMAL AND
THE ABBOTS RESIDENCE 4HE ENTRANCE TO THE TEMPLE IS INFORMAL EVENTS AND SOCIAL GATHERINGS )NTERIOR PARTITIONS
FORMED BY A SLANTED BLACK WALL COMPOSED OF GLASS AND ARE MADE OF BACKLIT GLASS mBER REINFORCED CLOTH
A SYSTEM OF DEEP RIBBED METAL LOUVERS REPRESENTING A WHICH IS REMINISCENT OF THE TRADITIONAL *APANESE HALF
CONTEMPORARY INTERPRETATION OF THE TILE ROOF THAT USED TO TRANSPARENT SHØJI SCREENS
4/0 %,%6!4)/. $%4!),
"/44/- %.42!.#% 4/ ,/7%2 ,%6%, 05",)# &!#),)4)%3
/00/3)4% 6)%7 /& 3)$% %.42!.#%
"!)3/ ). 4%-0,%
0!).4 (/53% "5),$).' 4!-! 4/+9/ 02%&%#452%
4/0
0!24)!, 6)%7 /& %8()")4)/. !2%!
"/44/-
&)234
&,//2 0,!.
/00/3)4% 4/0 ,%&4
,/.')45$).!, 3%#4)/.
/00/3)4% -)$$,% ,%&4
./24( %,%6!4)/.
/00/3)4% "/44/- ,%&4
3%#4)/.
/00/3)4% 2)'(4
$%4!), /& ./24( &!#!$%
0!).4 (/53% "5),$).'
,/.')45$).!, 3%#4)/.
./24( %,%6!4)/.
3%#4)/.
,/""9 2//&
%15)0-%.4 34/2!'% 42%%30,!.43
!.4%2//- 4%22!#%
/&&)#% %.42!.#% (!,,
"2)$'% 0!2+).'
6/)$ 0),/4)3
%8()")4)/. !2%!
4HIS LARGE BUILDING IS AN EXHIBITION SPACE FOR TWELVE POSSIBLE PRESENTING WITH HIS PROJECT A NEW CONCEPT FOR
PREFABRICATED MODEL HOUSES 4HE DIFFERENT MODELS MARKETING THE HOUSES AS WELL AS PROVIDING AN APPROPRI
ARE JUXTAPOSED IN THE INTERIOR OF A GLASS BOX WHICH ATE EXHIBITION SPACE FOR THIS PURPOSE
MAKES CHOOSING AMONG THE ALTERNATIVES EASIER FOR THE 4HE GLASS FACADE OF THE 0AINT (OUSE "UILDING IS
CUSTOMERS 4HEY CAN ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE DESIGN DESIGNED TO REnECT THE OBJECTS ON SALE IN A UNIQUE
OF THEIR FUTURE RESIDENCES BY COMBINING ELEMENTS OF WAY THE APPLIED STAINLESS STEEL PLATE mTTINGS DIVIDE
VARIOUS MODELS THE GLASS PLATES BEHIND TRANSFORMING THE FACADE INTO
)N THE PAST READY MADE HOUSES WERE PUT ON THE A KIND OF COMPUTER SCREEN ONTO WHICH THE ABSTRACT
MARKET BY GIGANTIC PREFABRICATED HOUSE MANUFACTURERS IMAGES OF THE HOUSES ARE PROJECTED 4HE UNIFORM GLASS
AND THEIR ARCHITECTS WITHOUT ALLOWING FOR INDIVIDUAL FACADE IS GIVEN A SPECKLED APPEARANCE BY THE ELLIPSOID
INVOLVEMENT AND VARIATIONS !S BUYING A HOUSE IS USU HOLES THAT ARE PUNCHED IN THE STEEL STRUCTURE WHICH
ALLY A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EVENT +UMA CONSIDERED IT SUPPORTS THE FACADE 4HE VOLUME IS THUS TRANSFORMED
IMPORTANT TO MAKE THE PROCESS AS CUSTOMER FRIENDLY AS INTO A SEEMINGLY WEIGHTLESS STRUCTURE
&/2%34&,//2 +!25):!7! .!'!./ 02%&%#452%
,OCATED IN ONE OF *APANS MOST POPULAR RESORT AREAS THE UMBRELLA
LIKE ROOF IS SUSPENDED FROM ABOVE
IN THE MOUNTAINS OF .AGANO 0REFECTURE THIS SMALL )N THIS UNIQUE SOLUTION THE EXTENSIVE ROOF IS SUPPORTED
WEEKEND HOUSE IS SURROUNDED BY FOREST +UMAS BY TWO MAJOR POSTS CYLINDRICAL IN SHAPE THAT ARE
INTENTION HERE WAS TO CREATE A BUILDING THAT nOATS PLACED WITHIN ENCLOSED CABINETS ONE IN THE KITCHEN
AMONG THE TREES PROVIDING AN IMPRESSIVE VIEW OF THE AND THE OTHER IN THE BEDROOM 4HEY ARE THUS INVISIBLE
ABUNDANT NATURE FROM A nOOR THAT IS ELEVATED FEET FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE
METERS ABOVE THE GROUND -IES VAN DER 2OHES !T THE SAME TIME THE GLASS WALL FACING THE FOREST
&ARNSWORTH (OUSE WHICH ALSO FEATURES AN ELEVATED SEEMS TO DISAPPEAR IN THE DEEP SHADOW THAT THE ROOF
nOOR AND EXPOSURE TO NATURE WAS A STRONG INSPIRATION CASTS ONTO THE nOOR !S A RESULT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN
FOR THE DESIGN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE IS NOT DISTRACTED BY REnECTIONS
4HE &ARNSWORTH (OUSE IS EXPRESSED AS A GLASS VOLUME AND RESIDENTS CAN ENJOY AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH
WITH A STEEL
FRAME SUPPORT THAT EMPHASIZES THE BOXLIKE THE NEARBY WOODS
FORM +UMA FOUND THIS FRAME DISTRACTING AND THEREFORE 7ITH THE PARTITIONS AND ALL OTHER ELEMENTS PAINTED
ENVISIONED THE nOOR ITSELF AS THE MAIN ELEMENT OF HIS WHITE THE SPACE ACQUIRES AN EPHEMERAL ALMOST
DESIGN )N ORDER TO AVOID THE PRESENCE OF STRUCTURAL nOATING LIGHTNESS )F -IES WAS DETERMINED TO CREATE A
COLUMNS IN THE LIVING SPACE THE nOOR IS SUPPORTED BY iTRANSPARENT BOX w +UMA IN THIS PROJECT ATTEMPTED TO
THIN STEEL POSTS LOCATED WITHIN THE PILOTIS BENEATH AND INVOKE A iTRANSPARENT EXPERIENCEw
&/2%34&,//2
N
%!34 %,%6!4)/.
./24( %,%6!4)/.
&,//2
0),/4)3 ,)6).'$).).' 2//-
34/2!'% +)4#(%.
4%22!#% "%$2//-
4%!2//-
&,//2
/00/3)4% %84%2)/2 6)%7 &2/- ./24(%!34
4/0 ,%&4 3)4% 0,!.
"/44/- ,%&4 &,//2 0,!.3
4/0 2)'(4 %,%6!4)/.3 !.$ 3%#4)/.
"/44/- ).4%2)/2 /& ,)6).' 2//- 7)4( 6)%7 /& 4(% &/2%34
02%6)/53 0!'%3
.)'(4 6)%7 &2/- 4(% %!34
4/0
4%22!#% 7)4( 6)%7 /&
%.42!.#%
"/44/-
%84%2)/2 34!)27!9
/00/3)4%
,)6).' 2//- $%4!),
&/2%34&,//2
3/"! 2%34!52!.4 !4 4/'!+53() 3(2).% 4/'!+53() .!'!./ 02%&%#452%
4/0
3)4% 0,!.
"/44/-
%84%2)/2 6)%7 &2/-
3/54(%!34
/00/3)4% 4/0
&,//2 0,!.
/00/3)4% -)$$,%
%,%6!4)/.3
/00/3)4% "/44/-
).4%2)/2 6)%7 /& $).).'
!2%!
4OGAKUSHI 3HRINE IS ONE OF THE MOST SIGNImCANT SACRED THE ROOF HAS TO CARRY THE WEIGHT OF ACCUMULATING SNOW
PLACES IN *APAN )T IS NOT ONLY AT THE CENTER OF THE IN THE WINTER "UT BY BEARING THE JOISTS ON A STEEL FRAME
REGION BUT ALSO FORMS THE HEART OF THE 3HINTO RELIGION +UMA ONCE AGAIN MANAGED TO CREATE VERTICAL SURFACES
WHICH CONSIDERS -OUNT 4OGAKUSHI SACRED 4HE EXTREME THAT APPEAR WEIGHTLESS MADE UP OF WOODEN PANELS
VERTICALITY OF THE MOUNTAIN STANDS IN STARK CONTRAST 4HE HORIZONTALLY STRETCHING BUILDING WAS DESIGNED
TO THE HORIZONTALITY OF THE APPROACH TO THE SHRINE A WITH A SIMPLE PLAN -OST OF THE INTERIOR SHAPED IN
STRAIGHT PATH WITH A *APANESE NOODLE RESTAURANT AT ITS WOOD WITH A RUSTIC QUALITY IS OCCUPIED BY THE GUESTS
BEGINNING +UMA WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE 3HRINE SEATING AREA WHICH OVERLOOKS GREEN mELDS IN FRONT )N
AUTHORITIES TO DESIGN A NEW FACILITY TO REPLACE THE OLD THE BACK ARE THE KITCHEN SPACE FOR NOODLE MAKING
RESTAURANT WHICH WAS FAST DETERIORATING AND OTHER SERVICE FACILITIES4HE BUILDING IS FRONTED BY A
)N THE GIVEN SETTING THE ARCHITECTURE BECOMES PART COVERED PORCH AND A LONG TERRACE 3PECIAL ATTENTION WAS
OF THE APPROACH TO THE SHRINE A CONDITION THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE DESIGN OF THE OUTSIDE TERRACE WALL FROM
FURTHER REINFORCED BY +UMAS DESIGN 4HE ONE
STORY INSIDE OF THE RESTAURANT THE ENDS OF ITS EVENLY SPACED
PITCHED
ROOF BUILDING IS PLACED DIAGONALLY TO THE PATH VERTICAL LOUVERS ARE INVISIBLE AS THEY ARE ABRUPTLY
EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PATH RATHER THAN THE CUT OFF BELOW THE nOOR OF THE ELEVATED TERRACE !S A
PRESENCE OF THE BUILT STRUCTURE $UE TO THE LOW HEIGHT OF RESULT THE DIVISION BETWEEN THE ARCHITECTURE AND THE
THE EAVES MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GABLED ROOF THE OUTER SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT IS DE
EMPHASIZED BY AN EASY
WALLS SEEM TO BLEND INTO THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT SPATIAL nOW 4HIS CORRELATES TO THE MOVEMENT ON THE
4HE DEPTH OF JOIST HERE HAD TO BE GREATER THAN THAT OF SITE AND BEYONDTHE CONTINUOUS SPATIAL SEQUENCE OF
THE SIMILARLY STRUCTURED -USEUM OF !NDO (IROSHIGE AS APPROACHING THE SHRINE
3/"! 2%34!52!.4 !4 4/+!'53() 3(2).%
'5%34 3%!4).'
+)4#(%.
3/"! &!"2)#!4)/. 30!#%
4%22!#%
0,!:!
3/54( %,%6!4)/. %!34 %,%6!4)/.
./24( %,%6!4)/. 7%34 %,%6!4)/.
02%6)/53 0!'%3 6)%7 /& -!). 3/54( &!#!$%
/00/3)4% 4/0 ).4%2)/2 $%4!), /& $).).' (!,,
/00/3)4% "/44/- %84%2)/2 $%4!), /& 3/54( &!#!$%
!"/6% 6)%7 /& 4%22!#%
(/2!) /.3%. "!4( (/53% !4!-) 3():5/+! 02%&%#452%
4/0
3)4% 0,!.
"/44/-
6)%7 &2/- 4(% 3/54(
/00/3)4% 4/0
&,//2 0,!.
/00/3)4% -)$$,%
×
3%#4)/.3
×
×
/00/3)4% "/44/-
×
×
×
Ｙ
6)%7 &2/- 4(% ./24(%!34
×
×
×
4HIS BATHHOUSE IS LOCATED ON THE NARROW LEDGE OF A NATURE WHILE ENJOYING THE SOOTHING EXPERIENCE OF THE HOT
STEEP SITE WITHIN THE PROPERTY OF (ORAI A PRESTIGIOUS MINERAL BATH +UMAS BATHHOUSE IS IN FACT NOTHING MORE
AND WELL
KNOWN TRADITIONAL *APANESE HOTEL 4HE LEDGE THAN A WOODEN DECK OR nOOR COVERED BY A CORRUGATED
IS SO NARROW THAT IT SEEMS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO BUILD AND TRANSLUCENT POLYCARBONATE CANOPY THAT HOVERS
ANYTHING THERE +UMA TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THIS CONDITION OVER IT LIKE A TENT THERE ARE NO WALLS OR OTHER OUTSIDE
HOWEVER AND DERIVED THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE BATHHOUSE BOUNDARIES %VEN THE WASHING FAUCETS AND HAND
SHOWERS
FROM IT $UE TO THE NARROW SITE THE STRUCTURE IS SITUATED ARE ARRANGED INDIVIDUALLY ON TOP OF THE DECK WITH MOBILE
CLOSE TO ITS SURROUNDINGS BORDERING ON THE RISING CLIFF CASES TO HOLD TOWELS AND OTHER NECESSARY ITEMS 4HE
ON ONE SIDE AND THE PRECIPICE ON THE OTHER 4HE PROJECT
INCH
MM SQUARE STEEL COLUMNS THAT SUPPORT
ACCORDINGLY EVOLVED ALONG AN EXTRUDED PLAN WITH THE CANOPY ARE PAINTED WITH GALVANIZED GRAY PAINT
ACTIVITIES ARRANGED IN A LINEAR FASHION WHICH EFFECTIVELY BLENDS THEM INTO THE BACKGROUND
!S IS OFTEN THE CASE WITH *APANESE BATHHOUSES 4HE (ORAI /NSEN "ATH (OUSE ISBOTH BY THE NATURE
THE POOL AS WELL AS ALL OTHER FACILITIES EXCEPT THE LOCKER OF ITS FUNCTION AND ITS ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNCERTAINLY
ROOM ARE OUTDOORS TO PROVIDE THE BENEmT OF BEING IN +UMAS MOST MINIMALIST AND EPHEMERAL DESIGN TO DATE
(/2!) /.3%. "!4( (/53%
#2/33 3%#4)/.
,/.')45$).!, 3%#4)/.
%.429
7!)4).'#(!.').' 2//-
7!3().' !2%!
"!4(
%8)34).' 34!)2
02%6)/53 0!'%3 6)%7 /& 0//, 5.$%2 42!.3,5#%.4 #!./09
/00/3)4% 4/0 %6%.).' 6)%7
/00/3)4% "/44/- 6)%7 /& i).4%2)/2w &2/- %.42!.#%
!"/6% $%4!), 7)4( ',!33 7!3("!3).
3()"59! 34!4)/. &!#!$% 2%./6!4)/. 3()"59!
+5 4/+9/ 02%&%#452%
0,!4&/2-
#/.#/523%
0,!:!
4/0 ,%&4
3)4% 0,!.
4/0 2)'(4
3%#4)/.3
"/44/-
./24( !.$ 3/54( %,%6!4)/.3
/00/3)4%
$%4!), /& ./24( &!#!$%
4HE 3HIBUYA 3TATION IN 4OKYO IS AN AREA POPULAR WITH EVERYTHING IS DISSOLVED INTO A FORMLESS OR LIQUID MASS
THE YOUNGER GENERATION *APANESE AND FOREIGNERS ALIKE OF INSUBSTANTIALITY
(ERE STUDENTS MEET AFTER SCHOOL ROAMING AROUND AND 'IVEN THE TASK OF REDESIGNING THE BLANK NONDESCRIPT
SQUATTING ON THE STREET 4HIS IS AN AREA OF CHAOS ELEVATIONS OF THE LARGE STATION +UMA COVERED THE LOWER
BOISTEROUS ENERGY AND SENSORY OVERLOAD THE STREETS ARE PARTS OF THE BUILDING WITH SHEETS OF GLASS THAT POSSESS
mLLED WITH INNUMERABLE MULTISTORY TELEVISION SCREENS THE SAME LIQUID AND TRANSPARENT QUALITY CHARACTERIZING
ANIMATED IMAGES NEON SIGNS AND BILLBOARDS SO 3HIBUYAS UNREAL SURROUNDINGS )NTENDING TO ERASE THE
THAT THE USUAL DISTINCTION BETWEEN ARCHITECTURE AND ARCHITECTURE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE HE TRANSCRIBED
ADVERTISEMENTS HAS ALL BUT LOST ITS MEANING !T 3HIBUYA IMAGES OF CLOUDS ON THE SURFACE OF THE GLASS USING A
AS IN MANY OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY IT IS DIFmCULT TO TELL DIGITAL CAMERA THE ARCHITECT TOOK PICTURES OF CLOUDS
APART MATERIAL OBJECTS FROM NON
MATERIAL ENTITIES AND BY OVER THE STATION AND THEN PRINTED THEM ON THE GLASS AS
EXTENSION REALITY FROM mCTION )N THIS URBAN ENVIRONMENT CERAMIC PRINTS 4HE ACTUAL CLOUDS THAT ARE REnECTED IN
3()"59! 34!4)/.
THE GLASS ARE SUPERIMPOSED ON THESE PRINTED IMAGES DOT SIZE )N THE END HOWEVER HE ENLARGED THE DIAMETER
OF CLOUDS RESULTING IN A STATE OF PROFOUND AMBIGUITY OF THE DOTS TO INCHES MM AS THE INCREASED
AT mRST GLANCE IT IS HARD TO TELL WHICH CLOUDS ARE PRINTED DOT SIZE SEEMED TO BETTER CAPTURE THE COOL ATMOSPHERE
AND WHICH REnECTED OF 3HIBUYA
+UMA INITIALLY PLANNED TO PRINT A HUGE CLOUD OVER 4HE IMAGES ARE PRINTED IN BLACK AND WHITE ON THREE
THE ENTIRE FACADE 5LTIMATELY HE USED mVE PARTS OF LAYERED SHEETS OF GLASS WITH A
INCH MM GAP
A SINGLE IMAGE SHUFnED THEM AND THEN SCATTERED BETWEEN THE GLASS PANES 4HESE GAPS CREATE A UNIQUE
THEM RANDOMLY OVER THE FACADE (E FELT THAT THIS EFFECT WHEN THE OBSERVERS PERSPECTIVE CHANGES THE
DIGITAL DISCONTINUOUS APPROACH WAS MORE IN TUNE WITH CLOUDS SHAPE AND COLOR CHANGES AS WELL 4HE RESULT
3HIBUYAS CULTURE 3IMILARLY MAKING THE CERAMIC PRINTS OF +UMAS APPROACH IS A FACADE THAT HANGS IN MID
AIR
HE mRST TRIED TO ACHIEVE AS ACCURATE A REPRODUCTION OF BETWEEN THE REAL AND THE VIRTUAL
THE CLOUDS AS POSSIBLE CREATING A PROTOTYPE WITH SMALL
/00/3)4% $%4!), /& ./24( &!#!$% 7)4( %.42!.#% 4/ 4(% 34!4)/.
4/0 6)%7 /& ./24( &!#!$%
"/44/- 6)%7 /& 3/54( &!#!$%
/.% /-/4%3!.$/ -).!4/
+5 4/+9/ 02%&%#452%
2%4!), !
2%4!), "
2%4!), #
2%4!), $
%.42!.#% (!,,
2%#%04)/. (!,,
/&&)#%
4HIS MULTISTORY STRUCTURE LOCATED AT THE BEGINNING OF INSTALLING A DRENCHER ON THE OUTSIDE WALL AND OBTAINED
/MOTESANDOOFTEN CALLED THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AVENUE IN SPECIAL PERMISSION
4OKYOIS THE MAIN OFmCE BUILDING OF THE &RENCH FASHION 4HE BUILDING FOLLOWING THE CONTOURS OF THE NARROW
GROUP ,OUIS 6UITTON -OÐT (ENNESSY ! PICTURESQUE SITE HAS AN IRREGULAR PLAN THAT IS REnECTED IN THE FORM
BOULEVARD LINED ON BOTH SIDES WITH HUGE ZELKOVA TREES OF ITS VOLUME 0ART OF ITS WEDGE SHAPED SOUTH SIDE IS
/MOTESANDO LEADS TO -EIJI 3HRINE THE LARGEST 3HINTO CANTILEVERED CREATING AN INTERESTING COMPOSITION
SHRINE IN 4OKYO 7ITH HIS DESIGN +UMA INTENDED TO )NSIDE THE BUILDING IS DESIGNED TO SERVE THE FUNCTIONS
ECHO THE TREES THAT LINE THE AVENUE IN THE BUILDING )N OF A LARGE OFmCE COMPLEX
CONJUNCTION WITH A CURTAIN WALL HE CREATED A SYSTEM OF "EFORE 7ORLD 7AR )) 4OKYO WAS A CITY OF WOODEN
INCH DEEP CM MULLIONS MADE OF LAMINATED ARCHITECTURE AND THE HUMAN SCALE OF ITS BUILDINGS
LARCH WOOD ECHOING THE TREES IN THE MATERIAL AS WELL AND THE WARMTH AND SOFTNESS OF THE NATURAL MATERIAL
AS IN THE VERTICAL LINES OF THE MULLIONS MADE IT UNIQUELY APPEALING 3INCE THE LATE S
4HE WOODEN ELEMENTS ARE ALSO A REFERENCE TO THE HOWEVER 4OKYO HAS BEEN INUNDATED WITH HUGE
WOODEN ARCHITECTURE OF -EIJI 3HRINE WHILE THE DEEP CONCRETE BUILDINGS THAT HAVE DESTROYED ITS CHARM AS
MULLIONS CONTRIBUTE TO ENERGY CONSERVATION BY SHIELDING A CITY 3UCCESSFULLY USING WOOD IN THIS BUILDING
THE INTERIOR FROM DIRECT SUNLIGHT !S *APANS "UILDING IS ONE OF +UMAS INITIAL STEPS TOWARD RESTORING
3TANDARD ,AW PROHIBITS THE USE OF WOOD ON THE EXTERIOR 4OKYOS ATTRACTIVENESS AND TO RECONSTRUCT A MORE
WALLS OF BUILDINGS IN LARGE URBAN AREAS +UMA PROPOSED HUMANE CITY
/.% /-/4%3!.$/
/00/3)4% 4/0 ,%&4
3)4% 0,!.
/00/3)4% 4/0 2)'(4
&)234
&,//2 0,!.
/00/3)4% "/44/- ,%&4
%,%6!4)/.
/00/3)4% "/44/- 2)'(4
3%#4)/.3
4/0
6)%7 &2/- 342%%4
"/44/-
$%4!), /& 6%24)#!, ,/56%23
/00/3)4% $%4!), /& 342%%4 &!#!$%
4/0 2%#%04)/. !2%! 7)4( ),,5-).!4%$ &52.)452%
-)$$,% 34!)27!9 $%4!),
"/44/- 6)%7 /& %.42!.#%
-!3!.!2) -52!) !24 -53%5- 3%4!'!9!
+5 4/+9/ 02%&%#452%
!"/6% '!,,%29
4/0 ,%&4 3)4% 0,!.
-)$$,% ,%&4 &)234
&,//2 0,!.
"/44/- ,%&4 ./24( %,%6!4)/.
/00/3)4% 4/0 6)%7 4(2/5'( -%3( 3#2%%. /.
!002/!#( 34!)27!9 4/ 4(% 500%2 ,%6%,
,/""9 2%&,%#4).' 0//,
500%2 '!,,%29
&)234
&,//2 '!,,%29 /,$ !54/-/"),% /00/3)4% "/44/- $%4!), /& 500%2 '!,,%29
-52!)3 /,$ !4%,)%2
,OCATED IN A QUIET RESIDENTIAL AREA IN THE WEST SUBURBS BETWEEN iTHE OLD TIMEw AND iTHE NEW TIMEw 4HE
OF 4OKYO THIS MUSEUM DEDICATED TO THE LATE -ASANARI RESTRAINED MINIMALIST DESIGN OF THE GALLERY HIGHLIGHTS
-URAI o A WELL
KNOWN PIONEER OF MODERNIST -URAIS PAINTINGS WHICH ARE ALSO MINIMALIST IN STYLE /N
PAINTING IN *APAN LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE ONE OF THE THE SECOND nOOR PART OF THE SPACE SURROUNDING THE OLD
HOUSES IN THE VICINITY 4HE SMALL PROJECT WAS BUILT ON THE ATELIER SERVES AS THE SMALL RESIDENCE FOR -URAIS WIDOW
SITE OF THE LATE PAINTERS PRIVATE RESIDENCE AND PARTS OF 4HE MUSEUM AND THE RESIDENCE HAVE SEPARATE ENTRANCES
THE OLD HOUSE BUILT IN THE S WERE RETAINED IN THE BUT ARE CONNECTED BY MEANS OF A STAIRWAY THAT LEADS TO
DESIGN -URAIS OLD ATELIER WAS PRESERVED BY +UMA IN THE UPPER
LEVEL GALLERY WITHIN THE LARGE TWO
STORY SPACE
ITS ORIGINAL STATE AND ENVELOPED WITH A NEW ENCLOSURE /N THE LOVER LEVEL THE GLASS WALL OF THE GALLERY OPENS
RESULTING IN AN ARRANGEMENT THAT CAN BE COMPARED TO THE VIEW TO A SHALLOW POOL OF WATER AT THE ENTRANCE OF
THE *APANESE LACQUERED LUNCH BOX WHERE ONE BOX IS THE MUSEUM REnECTING THE INTERIOR SPACES !DDING TO
CONTAINED WITHIN ANOTHER THE EXPERIENCE +UMA PLACED -URAIS OLD TIMEWORN
4HE AREA BETWEEN THE TWO BUILDINGS OR BOXES AUTOMOBILE IN THE POOL EMPHASIZING AGAIN A CONNECTION
FUNCTIONS AS THE GALLERY WHERE -URAIS WORKS ARE BETWEEN THE PAST AND THE PRESENT -OREOVER THE
EXHIBITED 4HE ATELIER ITSELF THUS BECOMES ONE OF NEW BUILDING IS COVERED BY THIN WOODEN BOARDS THAT
THE OBJECTS THAT ARE DISPLAYED INSIDE THE LARGE BOX +UMA RESCUED FROM THE OLD RESIDENCE 4HEY ARE AFmXED
CONVERSELY SEEN FROM THE ATELIER THE NEW ENCLOSURE TO THE EXTERIOR WALLS LIKE VERTICALLY ARRANGED LOUVERS WITH
LOOKS LIKE A WOODEN FENCE 4HE RESULTING AREA BETWEEN WIDE GAPS IN BETWEEN 4HIS UNUSUAL DESIGN GIVES THE
THE TWO BUILDINGS IS BOTH A DISCONTINUITY IN PHYSICAL ENTIRE BUILDING A VIBRANT AND HIGHLY UNIQUE ALMOST
SPACE AND A DISCONTINUITY IN TIMEIT ACTS AS A THRESHOLD VIRTUAL APPEARANCE
-!3!.!2) -52!) !24 -53%5-
3()././-% !0!24-%.4 "5),$).' +/4/
+5 4/+9/ 02%&%#452%
2%3)$%.#%
2//& '!2$%.
#/--/. 4%22!#%
02)6!4% 4%22!#%
3-!,, /&&)#%
0!2+).'
3(/0
#/--5.)49 !42)5-
#/--5.)49 "2)$'%
4HE 3HINONOME !PARTMENT "UILDING LOCATED ON -ULTIFAMILY HOUSING IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY TENDED
RECLAIMED LAND NEAR 4OKYO "AY REPRESENTS A NEW TO ACCOMMODATE SPACE FOR DWELLINGS ONLY EXCLUDING
CONCEPT IN PUBLIC HOUSING IN *APAN #OMBINING OTHER FUNCTIONS SUCH AS STORES OFmCES OR COMMUNAL
DWELLINGS OFmCES 3/(/S3MALL /FmCES AND (OME AREAS 4HIS SOLUTION HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY DOMINANT IN
/FmCES AS WELL AS COMMERCIAL AND PUBLIC FACILITIES THE *APANESE PUBLIC HOUSING RESULTING IN A LOWER QUALITY OF
mFTEEN STORY STRUCTURE IS PART OF A LARGER DEVELOPMENT IN LIFE FOR RESIDENTS +UMAS MULTI FAMILY HOUSING PROJECT
THE AREA THAT AIMS AT REBUILDING THE WATERFRONT OF 4OKYO MIXES DWELLINGS OFmCES AND FACILITES TO THE GREATEST
4HE PROJECTS IN THIS DEVELOPMENT ARE TO PROVIDE NEW EXTENT POSSIBLE RESTORING A WELL ROUNDED QUALITY AND
POSSIBILITIES FOR UP TO DATE MODES OF URBAN LIVING WITH FUNCTIONALITY TO URBAN LIFESTYLES
OTHER UNITS IN THE WELL ORGANIZED COMPOUND DESIGNED BY ! COMMUNICATION ATRIUM IS LOCATED IN THE CENTER
4OYO )TO 2IKEN 9AMAMOTO AND OTHERS OF THE STRUCTURE SURROUNDED BY SQUARE FOOT
3()././-% !0!24-%.4 "5),$).'
/00/3)4% 4/0 ,%&4
3)4% 0,!.
/00/3)4% 4/0 2)'(4
2//& 0,!.
/00/3)4% -)$$,% ,%&4
#2/33 3%#4)/.
/00/3)4% -)$$,% 2)'(4
490)#!, &,//2 0,!.
/00/3)4% "/44/-
%84%2)/2 6)%7 7)4( #/5249!2$
,%&4
%.42!.#% $%4!),
4/0
%!34 !.$ 7%34 %,%6!4)/.3
SQUARE METER BASIC RESIDENTIAL UNITS AND )N +UMAS PROJECT INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES CAN UTILIZE
SQUARE FOOT TWENTY mVE SQUARE METER ANNEX UNITS MULTIPLE UNITS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE COMMUNICATION
WHICH CAN BE USED AS A BEDROOM STUDY 3/(/ STORE OR ATRIUM FACILITATING THE CONCEPT OF WHAT COULD BE
FOR A NUMBER OF OTHER PURPOSES 4HE IDEA OF COMBINING CALLED iNETWORKED HOUSINGw 4HE BUILDING THUS
VARIOUS ACTIVITIES AND UNIT SIZES IN ONE STRUCTURE IS PROVIDES AN ALTERNATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL TWENTIETH
BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF A THREE DIMENSIONAL iSTREETw CENTURY HOUSING FOR EXTENDED FAMILIES WHO CAN NOW
4HIS CONCEPT IS A FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE MODEL LIVE IN THE SAME STRUCTURE WITHOUT ACTUALLY SHARING A
ORIGINALLY PROPOSED BY ,E #ORBUSIER IN HIS 5NITÎ HOUSE OR APARTMENT 4HE ENTIRE ROOF SPACE IS USED AS A
D(ABITATION PROJECT IN -ARSEILLES &RANCE WHICH nOWER OR VEGETABLE GARDEN FOR THE INHABITANTS ADDING
PLACED STRONG EMPHASIS ON CREATING A THREE DIMENSIONAL A PRODUCTIVE ELEMENT TO THE PURELY RECREATIONAL ROOF
STRUCTURE FROM THE RANDOM CHAOS OF THE STREET TERRACE OF ,E #ORBUSIERS PROJECT
4/0 $%4!), /& 4/0 &,//2 7)4( )..%2 #/5243 !.$ 2//&4/03
"/44/- 34!)27!9 4/ %.42!.#%
3()././-% !0!24-%.4 "5),$).'
4/0 507!2$ 6)%7 /& )..%2 #/5249!2$ 7)4( #/..%#4).' "2)$'%3
"/44/- $%4!), /& 0,!.4%$ &,//2 /& #/5249!2$
02/*%#4 #2%$)43
+)2/
3!. /"3%26!4/29 3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS + .AKATA !SSOCIATES
9OSHIUMI /CHI
GUN %HIME 0REFECTURE -ECHANICAL ENGINEERS - ) #ONSULTANT
"UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M HORIZONTAL PROJECTION 'ENERAL CONTRACTORS )SHIHARA #ONSTRUCTION %#2)3
!RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES
3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS !KI 3TRUCTURAL 0LANNING -53%5- /& !.$/ ()2/3()'%
-ECHANICAL ENGINEERS %NVIRONMENT %QUIPMENT #ONSULTANT "ATO .ASU
GUN 4OCHIGI 0REFECTURE
'ENERAL CONTRACTORS &UTAGAMI 'UMI "UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M
7!4%2',!33 !RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES
!TAMI 3HIZUOKA 0REFECTURE #OOPERATIVE ARCHITECTS !NDO !RCHITECTURE $ESIGN /FmCE
"UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M 3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS !OKI 3TRUCTURAL %NGINEERS
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M -ECHANICAL ENGINEERS 0 4 -ORIMURA !SSOCIATES
!RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES 'ENERAL CONTRACTORS /BAYASHI #ORPORATION
3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS + .AKATA !SSOCIATES
-ECHANICAL ENGINEERS +AWAGUCHI %NGINEERING #ONSULTANT 4!+!9!.!') #/--5.)49 #%.4%2
'ENERAL CONTRACTORS 4AKENAKA #OOPERATION 4AKAYANAGI .IIGATA 0REFECTURE
"UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M
2)6%2&),4%2 nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M
4AMAKAWA &UKUSHIMA 0REFECTURE !RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES
"UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M 3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS + .ATAKA !SSOCIATES
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M -ECHANICAL ENGINEERS 0 4 -ORIMURA !SSOCIATES
!RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES 'ENERAL CONTRACTORS .AGAI #ORPORATION
3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS !OKI 3TRUCTURAL %NGINEERS #O
CONSTRUCTOR (UTOSHI +URIHARA (IROMI 4AKAHASHI 9ASUO +OBAYASHI
'ENERAL CONTRACTORS !NDO !RCHITECTURE $ESIGN /FmCE
.!35 ()34/29 -53%5-
./( 34!'% ). 4(% &/2%34 .ASU .ASU
GUN 4OCHIGI 0REFECTURE
4OYOMA 4OME
GUN -IYAGI 0REFECTURE "UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M
"UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M !RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES
!RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES #OOPERATIVE ARCHITECTS !NDO !RCHITECTURE $ESIGN /FmCE
3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS !OKI 3TRUCTURAL %NGINEERS 3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS + .AKATA !SSOCIATES
-ECHANICAL ENGINEERS +AWAGUCHI %NGINEERING #ONSULTANT -ECHANICAL ENGINEERS 0 4 -ORIMURA !SSOCIATES
'ENERAL CONTRACTORS *6 OF 3AKUTA #ONSTRUCTION AND /IKAWA +OMUTEN 'ENERAL CONTRACTORS +AWADA )NDUSTRIES )NC
-%-/2)!, 0!2+ 4!+!3!+) 0!2+).' "5),$).'
4AKASAKI 'UMMA 0REFECTURE 4AKASAKI 'UMMA 0REFECTURE
"UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M "UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M
!RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES !RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES 2ESEARCH )NSTITUTE OF !RCHITECTURE
3TRUCTURAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS )NOUE +OGYO 3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS 2)! 2ESEARCH )NSTITUTE OF !RCHITECTURE
-ECHANICAL ENGINEERS 0 4 -ORIMURA !SSOCIATES
+)4!+!-) #!.!, -53%5- 'ENERAL CONTRACTORS *6 OF )NOUE &UYUKI AND .OBUSAWA )NDUSTRY
)SHINOMAKI -IYAGI 0REFECTURE
"UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M nOOR AREA 3%!&),4%2
SQUARE FEET M /NODA 9AMAGUCHI 0REFECTURE
!RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES "UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M
3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS !OKI 3TRUCTURAL %NGINEERS nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M
-ECHANICAL ENGINEERS +AWAGUCHI %NGINEERING #ONSULTANT 9AMAZAKI !RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES
%LECTRICAL #ONSTRUCTION 0LANNING 3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS !OKI 3TRUCTURAL %NGINEERS
'ENERAL CONTRACTORS (ISHINAKA #ONSTRUCTION -ECHANICAL ENGINEERS 0 4 -ORIMURA !SSOCIATES
'ENERAL CONTRACTORS *6 OF &5*) )NDUSTRY #O ,TD
34/.% -53%5- AND 3ATO +OGYO #O ,TD
.ASU .ASU
GUN 4OCHIGI 0REFECTURE
"UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M ').:!. /.3%. (/4 302).' "!4( (/53%
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M /BANAZAWA 9AMAGATA 0REFECTURE
!RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES "UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M
02/*%#4 #2%$)43
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M (/2!) /.3%. "!4( (/53%
!RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES !TAMI 3HIZUOKA 0REFECTURE
3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS !OKI 3TRUCTURAL %NGINEERS "UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M
-ECHANICAL ENGINEERS 9AHAGI -ECHANICAL %NGINEERING /HBA nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M
%LECTRIC %NGINEERING !RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES
'ENERAL CONTRACTORS (ONMAKENSETSU #O 3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS !OKI 3TRUCTURAL %NGINEERS
-ECHANICAL ENGINEERS 7ATER 7ORKS 7ATANABE
0,!34)# (/53% #ONTRACTORS TIMBER CONSTRUCTION 9AMORI #ONTRACTORS
-EGURO
KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE #ONTRACTORS CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION &UKUI #ONTRACTORS
"UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M 3()"59! 34!4)/. FACADE RENOVATION
!RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES 3HIBUYA
KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
3TRUCTURAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS +AJIMA $ESIGN &ACADE AREA NORTH ENTRANCE SQUARE FEET M SOUTH
ENTRANCE SQUARE FEET M
'2%!4 "!-"// 7!,, !RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES *2 %AST *APAN
"EIJING #HINA 2AILWAY #OMPANY *2 %AST $ESIGN #OMPANY
"UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M 3TRUCTURAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS *2 %AST *APAN 2AILWAY
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M #OMPANY *2 %AST $ESIGN #OMPANY
!RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES 'ENERAL CONTRACTORS 4OTETSU +OGYO #O ,TD
#OLLABORATORS !250 #HINA 2OCCO ,ANDSCAPE $ESIGN
3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS + .AKATA !SSOCIATES /.% /-/4%3!.$/
-ECHANICAL ENGINEERS "EIJING 4HIRD $WELLING -INATO
KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
!RCHITECTURAL %NGINEERING #OMPANY "UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M
"!)3/
). 4%-0,% !RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES
-INATO
KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE 3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS /AK 3TRUCTURAL $ESIGN /FmCE
"UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M -ECHANICAL ENGINEERS 0 4 -ORIMURA !SSOCIATES
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M 'ENERAL CONTRACTORS !NDO #ORPORATION
!RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES
3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS /AK 3TRUCTURAL $ESIGN /FmCE -!3!.!2) -52!) !24 -53%5-
-ECHANICAL ENGINEERS (ASE #ORPORATION 3ETAGAYA
KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
'ENERAL CONTRACTORS (ASE #ORPORATION +AJIMA #ORPORATION "UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M
0!).4 (/53% "5),$).' !RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES
4AMA 4OKYO 0REFECTURE 3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS + .AKATA !SSOCIATES
"UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M 'ENERAL CONTRACTORS -ATSUSHITA )NDUSTRY #O ,TD
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M
!RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES 3()././-% !0!24-%.4 "5),$).'
3TRUCTURAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS +AJIMA $ESIGN +OTO
KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
'ENERAL #ONTRACTORS +AJIMA #ORPORATION "UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M
&/2%34&,//2 !RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES 2ESEARCH )NSTITUTE OF
+ARUIZAWA .AGANO 0REFECTURE !RCHITECTURE 5RBAN $EVELOPMENT #ORPORATION *6 OF -AEDA
"UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M (AZAMA AND (ASEKO
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M 3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS 4AKUMI /RIMOTO 3TRUCURAL %NGINEERS
!RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES !SSOCIATES 5RBAN $EVELOPMENT #ORPORATION *6 OF -AEDA
3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS -AKINO 3TRUCTURAL $ESIGN (AZAMA AND (ASEKO
-ECHANICAL ENGINEERS 0 4 -ORIMURA !SSOCIATES -ECHANICAL ENGINEERS 3OGO #ONSULTANTS %NVIRONMENTAL
%QUIPMENT 5RBAN $EVELOPMENT #ORPORATION
3/"! 2%34!52!.4 !4 4/'!+53() 3(2).% *6 OF -AEDA (AZAMA AND (ASEKO
4OGAKUSHI .AGANO 0REFECTURE 'ENERAL CONTRACTORS *6 OF -AEDA (AZAMA AND (ASEKO
"UILDING AREA SQUARE FEET M
nOOR AREA SQUARE FEET M
!RCHITECTS +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES
3TRUCTURAL ENGINEERS /AK 3TRUCTURAL $ESIGN /FmCE
'ENERAL CONTRACTORS #HIHIRO
+ENSETSU #ORPORATION
")/'2!0(9
"ORN IN +ANAGAWA 0REFECTURE *APAN
-ASTER #OURSE $EPARTMENT OF !RCHITECTURE 5NIVERSITY OF 4OKYO
o 6ISITING 3CHOLAR 'RADUATE 3CHOOL #OLUMBIA 5NIVERSITY AND
!SIAN #ULTURAL #OUNCIL
%STABLISHED 3PATIAL $ESIGN 3TUDIO
%STABLISHED +ENGO +UMA !SSOCIATES
o 0ROFESSOR AT &ACULTY OF %NVIRONMENTAL )NFORMATION +EIO 5NIVERSITY
o 0ROFESSOR AT &ACULTY OF 3CIENCE AND 4ECHNOLOGY +EIO 5NIVERSITY
!7!2$3
'OOD $ESIGN !RCHITECTURE !WARD *APANESE -INISTRY OF )NTERNATIONAL
4RADE AND )NDUSTRY
'RAND 0RIZE *#$ $ESIGN !WARD #ULTURAL0UBLIC )NSTITUTIONS
!RCHITECTURAL )NSTITUTE OF *APAN !WARD
&IRST 0LACE !)! $U0/.4 "ENEDICTUS !WARD
'RAND 0RIZE 2EGIONAL $ESIGN !WARD
(ONORABLE -ENTION "OSTON 3OCIETY OF !RCHITECTURE
5NBUILT !RCHITECTURE $ESIGN !WARD
'RAND 0RIZE 0RIZE OF !)* 4OHOKU #HAPTER FOR $ESIGN
$IRECTOR 'ENERAL OF &ORESTRY !GENCY 0RIZE
4OGO -URANO !WARD AND !RCHITECTURAL )NSTITUTE !WARD
'RAND )NTERNATIONAL 3TONE !RCHITECTURE !WARD )TALY
3PIRIT OF .ATURE 7OOD !RCHITECTURE !WARD &INLAND
%8()")4)/.3
4OKYO #OLUMNS - 3ETAGAYA
KU 4OKYO
#ITY OF ,ABYRINTH 3EZON -USEUM OF !RT 4OSHIMA
KU 4OKYO
4SUKASHIN (ALL !MAGASAKI (YOGO 0REFECTURE
6ELOCITY OF 4RANSMISSION 'ALLERY -! -INATO
KU 4OKYO SOLO EXHIBITION
6ENICE "IENNALE 6ENICE )TALY
-ILANO 4RIENNALE -ILANO )TALY
6IRTUAL !RCHITECTURE -USEUM OF THE 5NIVERSITY OF 4OKYO
"UNKYO 4OKYO
6ENICE "IENNALE 6ENICE )TALY
!2#(),!" /RLÎANS &RANCE
2)"! *APANESE !RCHITECTURE ,ONDON 'REAT "RITAIN
!2#(),!" /RLÎANS &RANCE
#/-0%4)4)/.3
3ECOND 0RIZE .IIGATA #ITY 0ERFORMING !RTS #ENTER #OMPETITION
3ECOND 0RIZE !BASHIRI 5RBAN 0LANNING #OMPETITION (OKKAIDO
(ONORABLE -ENTION +ANSAI
KAN OF THE .ATIONAL $IET ,IBRARY #OMPETITION +YOTO
4HIRD 0RIZE .AGAOKA #ULTURE &ORUM $ESIGN #OMPETITION .IIGATA 0REFECTURE
(ONORABLE -ENTION 3AN *OSE 5NIVERSITY 3CHOOL OF !RT -USEUM
3AN *OSE #ALIFORNIA 53!
&IRST 0RIZE 4OKYO 5NIVERSITY OF !GRICULTURE .ODAI -USEUM #OMPETITION 4OKYO
&IRST 0RIZE ,IFELONG ,EARNING )NSTITUTION IN /NDO
CHO /NDO
CHO
(IROSHIMA 0REFECTURE
")/'2!0(9
,)34 /& 7/2+3 .AMES IN BOLD ARE FEATURED IN THIS BOOK
+YODO 'RATING 3ETAGAYA
KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
3MALL "ATH (OUSE IN )ZU +AMO
GUN 3HIZUOKA 0REFECTURE WITH 3 3HINOHARA
'4 - -AEBASHI 'UMMA 0REFECTURE
2USTIC 3HINJUKU KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
$ORIC -INATO KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
- "UILDING 3ETAGAYA KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
+INOJO 'OLF #LUB 3OJA /KAYAMA 0REFECTURE
*APAN *2 -USEUM -INATO KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE PROJECT
-AN JU 3AWARA KU &UKUOKA 0REFECTURE
9USUHARA 6ISITORS #ENTER 9USUHARA 4AKAOKA GUN +OCHI 0REFECTURE
+IRO SAN /BSERVATORY 9OSHIUMI /CHI GUN %HIME 0REFECTURE
7ATER'LASS !TAMI 3HIZUOKA 0REFECTURE
3PACE $ESIGN OF THE 6ENICE "IENNALE *APANESE 0AVILION 6ENICE )TALY
'LASS3HADOW 'OLF #LUB 4OMIOKA -IYAGI 0REFECTURE
.OH 3TAGE IN THE &OREST 4OME GUN -IYAGI 0REFECTURE
2IVER&ILTER 4AMAKAWA &UKUSHIMA 0REFECTURE
-OVING 'ARDEN #IVIC (ALL .AGAOKA .IIGATA 0REFECTURE PROJECT
.AGAOKA #ULTURE &ORUM .AGAOKA .IIGATA 0REFECTURE PROJECT
+ANSAI KAN .ATIONAL $IET ,IBRARY +YOTO 0REFECTURE PROJECT
'RASS .ET -ILANO 4RIENNALE )TALY PROJECT
%CO 0ARTICLE -IYAKO JIMA /KINAWA 0REFECTURE PROJECT
3IMPLE 'ARDEN (OTEL ,E ,ANDES &RANCE PROJECT
2EVERSE 4HEATER #HOFU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE PROJECT
'RASS'LASS 4OWER 4OKYO 0REFECTURE PROJECT
9ONEZAWA 0UBLIC 5NIVERSITY 0ROJECT 9ONEZAWA 9AMAGATA 0REFECTURE PROJECT
/CEAN#ITY (ENG 1IN )SLAND #HINA PROJECT
-EMORIAL 0ARK 4AKASAKI 'UMMA 0REFECTURE PROJECT
!WAJI 3ERVICE !REA !WAJI 4SUNA GUN (YOGO 0REFECTURE
7ATER3LATS /ISO +ANAGAWA 0REFECTURE PROJECT
%80/ "ASIC #ONCEPTION 3ETO !ICHI 0REFECTURE PROJECT
3EASIDE 3UBCENTER OF 4OKYO -INATO KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE PROJECT
7OOD3LATS 'UEST (OUSE (AYAMA -IURA GUN +ANAGAWA 0REFECTURE
+ITAKAMI #ANAL -USEUM )SHINOMAKI -IYAGI 0REFECTURE
3UPER 3TREET +OBE (YOGO 0REFECTURE PROJECT
"AMBOO (OUSE +ANAGAWA 0REFECTURE
-USEUM OF !NDO (IROSHIGE "ATO .ASU GUN 4OCHIGI 0REFECTURE
4AKAYANAGI #OMMUNITY #ENTER 4AKAYANAGI .IIGATA 0REFECTURE
3AKUSHIN 'AKUIN 5NIVERSITY 5TSUNOMIYA 4OCHIGI 0REFECTURE
3TONE -USEUM .ASU .ASU GUN 4OCHIGI 0REFECTURE
"AMBOO (OUSE +URAKUEN 0ROJECT .ISHINOMIYA (YOGO 0REFECTURE PROJECT
)NSTITUTE OF $ISASTER 0REVENTION &UJISHIRO +ITASOMA GUM )BARAKI 0REFECTURE PROJECT
.ASU (ISTORY -USEUM .ASU .ASU GUN 4OCHIGI 0REFECTURE
3EA&ILTER /NODA 9AMAGUCHI 0REFECTURE
'INZAN /NSEN (OT 3PRING "ATH (OUSE /BANAZAWA 9AMAGATA 0REFECTURE
4AKASAKI 0ARKING "UILDING 4AKASAKI 'UMMA 0REFECTURE
4HE 3KIN THAT &ILTERS THE 2IVER -INATO KU 4OKYO PROJECT
.IKKO 0OLICE "OX .IKKO 4OCHIGI 0REFECTURE
0LASTIC (OUSE -EGURO KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
'REAT "AMBOO 7ALL "EIJING #HINA
3HOCHIKU "UILDING #HUO KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
!DOBE -USEUM FOR 7OODEN "UDDHA 9AMAGUCHI 0REFECTURE
"AISO IN 4EMPLE -INATO KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
&OREST&LOOR +ARUIZAWA .AGANO 0REFECTURE
3OBA 2ESTAURANT AT 4OGAKUSHI 3HRINE 4OGAKUSHI .AGANO 0REFECTURE
(ORAI /NSEN "ATH (OUSE !TAMI 3HIZUOKA 0REFECTURE
3HIBUYA 3TATION FACADE RENOVATION 3HIBUYA KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
'REAT "AMBOO 7ALL0HASE #HINA
0AINT (OUSE "UILDING 4AMA 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
/NE /MOTESANDO -INATO KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
-ASANARI -URAI !RT -USEUM 3ETAGAYA KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
6ERTICAL 'ARDEN &UKUSAKI /SAKA 0REFECTURE
&OOD AND !GRICULTURE -USEUM 4OKYO 5NIVERSITY OF !GRICULTURE 4HE 2ESEARCH )NSTITUTE
OF %VOLUTIONARY "IOLOGY 3ETAGAYA KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
7AKETOKUYAMA 2ESTAURANT -INATO KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
3HINONOME !PARTMENT "UILDING +OTO KU 4OKYO 0REFECTURE
-USEUM .AGASAKI .AGASAKI 0REFECTURE
3HIZUOKA %XPO 'ATE "UILDING (AMAMATSU 3HIZUOKA 0REFECTURE
3UNTORY (EADQUARTERS 4OKYO 4OKYO 0REFECTURE PROJECT
,OTUS (OUSE !TAMI 3HIZUOKA 0REFECTURE PROJECT
3%,%#4%$ ")",)/'2!0(9
+ENGO +UMA (OUSES 4OKYO 4OSO 0UBLISHING IN *APANESE
??? )NTRODUCTION TO !RCHITECTURE (ISTORY AND )DEOLOGY 4OKYO #HIKUMA 0UBLISHING IN *APANESE
??? #ATASTROPHE OF !RCHITECTURAL $ESIRE 4OKYO 3HINYOSHA IN *APANESE
??? "EYOND THE !RCHITECTURAL #RISIS 4OKYO 4OTO 0UBLISHING IN *APANESE
??? $IGITAG 4OKYO '! !$! %DITA IN *APANESE
??? !NTI
/BJECT 4OKYO #HIKUMA 0UBLISHING IN *APANESE
??? i+ENGO +UMAw 3PECIAL ISSUE OF $ETAIL 4OKYO .OVEMBER IN *APANESE
??? i+ENGO +UMAw 3PECIAL ISSUE OF 4HE *APAN !RCHITECT 4OKYO !UGUST
??? i+ENGO +UMA $IGITAL 'ARDENINGw 3PECIAL ISSUE OF 3PACE $ESIGN 4OKYO
??? 3PIRIT OF .ATURE 7OOD !RCHITECTURE !WARD (ELSINKI 7OOD IN #ULTURE !SSOCIATION
??? $EFEATED !RCHITECTURE 4OKYO )WANAMI 3HOTEN IN *APANESE
??? +ENGO +UMA -ATERIALS 3TRUCTURE $ETAILS "ASEL "IRKHÊUSER 6ERLAG
3%,%#4%$ ")",)/'2!0(9
34!&&
+%.'/ +5-! !33/#)!4%3
3TAFF o 3TAFF o
+ENICHI (OSOMURA !TSUCHI !NDOH
-INORU 9OKOO 4AKAAKI !NDO
4OSHIO 9ADA !KIRA !OYAMA
+ENJI -IYAHARA 9OHSUKE !SAKO
3ANTA /HNO -ISAO "ABA
(IRONAKA /GAWA "UDI 0RADONO
-AKOTO 3HIRAHAMA 2YUSUKE &UJIEDA
3HUJI !CHIHA .AMI &UJIKAKE
4EPPEI &UJIWARA +EITA 'OTO
3HIGEYOSHI 3UGAI 4AKESHI 'OTO
+ATINKA 4EMME 4ETSUO 'OTO
+AZUHIKO -IYAZAWA -ASAHIRO (ARADA
3HINOBU -ATSUSHIMA 4EPPEI )SHIBASHI
+OJI 9AMADA 9UTAKA )SHIGAMI
4ETSUJI +URODA -ASAKI )WAMOTO
9UKI )KEGUCHI +YOKO )WASAKA
(IDEMI "ABA +ATSUHIKO )ZUMI
%ISHI 3AKAMOTO 4AKAOKI +ANEHARA
3HIN /HBA -ASAKI +ATOH
(IROAKI !KIYAMA #HIZUKO +AWARADA
4SUYOSHI +ANDA 4ATSU -ATSUDA
3AYAKA -IZUNO +UNIKO -IHARA
.OZOMI 3AITO -ASAMI -IYAKAWA
-ARIN 3AWA (IROSHI .AKAMURA
-ASAMICHI (IRABAYASHI 2YOTARO /BATA
3AKIKO -ARUI 4ATSUYA /DA
,UKE 9OSUKE 7ILLIS (IDETOSHI /HTA
!KIKO 3HINTSUBO .AOMI /OTSUKI
4AKUMI 3AIKAWA 3HOJI /SHIO
4OSHIKI -EIJO 9OSHINORI 3AKANO
*UN
&LORIAN 0EINE -IKAKO 3ATO
*AVIER 6ILLAR 2UIZ 9UKAKO 3ATO
9OSHIHIRO +URITA 9OSHIHISA 3AWADA
4AIKO +ASAI (IROSHIGE 3EKI
%MIKO .OGUCHI 9OSHIKAZU 4AKAHASHI
9OSHITAKA 4AKEISHI
(IDEYUKI 4ANAKA
-ARIKO 4OUNO
+OJI 4OYOSHIMA
4SUE 4SUKUNO
3USUMU 9ASUKOUCHI
You might also like
- Art of War: The Definitive Interpretation of Sun Tzu's Classic Book of StrategyFrom EverandArt of War: The Definitive Interpretation of Sun Tzu's Classic Book of StrategyRating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5 (3321)
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good LifeFrom EverandThe Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good LifeRating: 4.5 out of 5 stars4.5/5 (20036)
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: The Infographics EditionFrom EverandThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: The Infographics EditionRating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5 (2475)
- American Gods: The Tenth Anniversary EditionFrom EverandAmerican Gods: The Tenth Anniversary EditionRating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5 (12948)
- Habit 3 Put First Things First: The Habit of Integrity and ExecutionFrom EverandHabit 3 Put First Things First: The Habit of Integrity and ExecutionRating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5 (2507)
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good LifeFrom EverandThe Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good LifeRating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5 (5796)
- Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On ItFrom EverandNever Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On ItRating: 4.5 out of 5 stars4.5/5 (3282)
- Pride and Prejudice: Bestsellers and famous BooksFrom EverandPride and Prejudice: Bestsellers and famous BooksRating: 4.5 out of 5 stars4.5/5 (20479)
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective PeopleFrom EverandThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective PeopleRating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5 (2568)
- Habit 1 Be Proactive: The Habit of ChoiceFrom EverandHabit 1 Be Proactive: The Habit of ChoiceRating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5 (2556)
- Habit 6 Synergize: The Habit of Creative CooperationFrom EverandHabit 6 Synergize: The Habit of Creative CooperationRating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5 (2499)
- How To Win Friends And Influence PeopleFrom EverandHow To Win Friends And Influence PeopleRating: 4.5 out of 5 stars4.5/5 (6523)
- The Perfect Marriage: A Completely Gripping Psychological SuspenseFrom EverandThe Perfect Marriage: A Completely Gripping Psychological SuspenseRating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5 (1111)
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective PeopleFrom EverandThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective PeopleRating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5 (353)
- Remarkably Bright Creatures: A NovelFrom EverandRemarkably Bright Creatures: A NovelRating: 4.5 out of 5 stars4.5/5 (5533)
- Wuthering Heights (Seasons Edition -- Winter)From EverandWuthering Heights (Seasons Edition -- Winter)Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5 (9486)
- The Iliad: A New Translation by Caroline AlexanderFrom EverandThe Iliad: A New Translation by Caroline AlexanderRating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5 (5718)
![American Gods [TV Tie-In]: A Novel](https://imgv2-2-f.scribdassets.com/img/audiobook_square_badge/626321117/198x198/22ab6b48b6/1712683119?v=1){kind=icon}
