Japan in Architecture: Genealogies of Its Transformation

Japanese architecture today attracts attention from all over the world. Numerous architects, from Tange Kenzo to Taniguchi Yoshio, Ando Tadao, Kuma Kengo, Sejima Kazuyo and other young upcoming architects have received great international acclaim. Founded on rich traditions that have stretch back to ancient times, contemporary Japanese architecture encompasses exceptionally creative and original ideas and expressions.

In the 150 years following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, architecture presented immense opportunities for experimentation in Japan. How did the long and rich Japanese tradition of wooden architecture evolve, among a great number of practices? What did the West find attractive about architecture in Japan, and how did Japanese architecture then respond to this interest? The transitions of such things invisible to the eye as everyday life and views of nature also provide important elements for understanding Japanese architecture.

Structured around nine sections based on key concepts for interpreting architecture in Japan today, this exhibition traces the lineage of architecture from ancient times until the present, and explores the elements of genealogy undermined by modernism and concealed beneath, yet undeniably vital still. Featuring important architectural materials, models, and interactive exhibits, the wide-ranging exhibits will illuminate not only the state of Japanese architecture in the past and present but also a vision of the future.

Photo: Yoshio Taniguchi and Associates, D.T. Suzuki Museum, 2011, Kanazawa, Japan (Photo: Kitajima Toshiharu)