Overview

The global changes taking place in the architectural world are crystallizing right now in Japan, with the past five years being considered one of the most innovative periods in current Japanese design history. Observed by architects and designers from around the world, these changes are illustrated and articulated in New Japan Architecture. By documenting 48 important projects by 42 established and avant-garde architects, this book takes the reader through a journey of current trends in contemporary Japanese architecture and predicts future directions. While some buildings strive for the ultimate Zen white cube, others exemplify the search for the 'Wow' factor. Cutting edge modernity in some buildings is countered by a concern for sustainability in others. The selection of buildings in New Japan Architecture includes projects that are big and small, private and public, residential and commercial. The informative writings complement beautiful photographs that highlight the remarkable aspects of each building. A must-have book for those interested in architecture and Japan.

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9784805309483

Table of Contents

Reviews

The excitement and elegance of recent modern Japanese architecture is very well documented in this book, and the core concepts and future trends thoughtfully explained. It is a delight to read. --Raquel Ramati, Urban Designer, New York

A gem of work--ambitiously portraying a comprehensive array of designs from young and young-at-heart Japanese architects with differing tastes, styles and concepts. The book is exciting, enlightening and inspiring. --Edward Suzuki, principal of Edward Suzuki Associates, Tokyo Japan remains an architectural hothouse, bursting with some of the most original and daring designs anywhere. This book--well-organized, beautifully illustrated, with insightful commentary--provides an excellent overview of the best work from the past ten years. A must-have for architects, connoisseurs of great design, and anyone who wants to come take a look for themselves. --John Mader, president, AIA Japan Deftly structured and insightfully curated, this book is a kaleidoscopic representation of the varied architecture that has been produced in Japan in the last five years across scales as well as types. The projects selected unfold for the reader a highly pluralistic world of multiple responses and visual expressions in new Japanese architecture. --Rahul Mehrotra, Professor and Chair of Urban Planning and Design, GSD, Harvard University; principal of RMA Architects Mumbai The excitement and elegance of recent modern Japanese architecture is very well documented in this book, and the core concepts and future trends thoughtfully explained. It is a delight to read. --Raquel Ramati, Urban Designer, New York This is a very well researched book that presents innovative projects in their architectural as well as urban context. --Richard Plunz, Director Urban Design Program, GSAPP, Columbia University New York Just as one might hope from a book entitled New Japan Architecture, ingenious designs are in abundance, confirming the ongoing symbiotic relationship between Japanese architecture and water, light and nature. Structures with the wow factor leap off the page but sensitivity and refinement are the new watchwords as Japanese architects create new languages for the senses to absorb. Exciting new public buildings have also sprung up in an attempt to revitalize the Japanese educational system and drag the country out of the economic impasse. Embracing experimentation, sophisticated craftsmanship, sustainable materials, technology and contemporary ideas must be a prerequisite for anyone wishing to study architecture in Japan judging from the fascinating projects portrayed in this book--from inspirational micro-homes and elegant mid-scale structures through to larger, ambitious buildings like the National Art Centre in Tokyo. --Trends Living Magazine Mehta and MacDonald present a mesmerizing album of four-color photographs accompanied by text that explains the inspiration and construction of each project. Readers will be delighted to find a Nakamura Keith Haring Museum that sits like an exclamation mark on a hill in the village of Kobuchizawa in the Japanese Alps, with a gallery complex by Atsushi Kitagawara that features hot springs (onsen) in fanciful Haring-like shapes. --Publishers Weekly

A gem of work--ambitiously portraying a comprehensive array of designs from young and young-at-heart Japanese architects with differing tastes, styles and concepts. The book is exciting, enlightening and inspiring. --Edward Suzuki, principal of Edward Suzuki Associates, Tokyo A gem of work ambitiously portraying a comprehensive array of designs from young and young-at-heart Japanese architects with differing tastes, styles and concepts. The book is exciting, enlightening and inspiring. Edward Suzuki, principal of Edward Suzuki Associates, Tokyo Just as one might hope from a book entitled New Japan Architecture, ingenious designs are in abundance, confirming the ongoing symbiotic relationship between Japanese architecture and water, light and nature. Structures with the wow factor leap off the page but sensitivity and refinement are the new watchwords as Japanese architects create new languages for the senses to absorb. Exciting new public buildings have also sprung up in an attempt to revitalize the Japanese educational system and drag the country out of the economic impasse. Embracing experimentation, sophisticated craftsmanship, sustainable materials, technology and contemporary ideas must be a prerequisite for anyone wishing to study architecture in Japan judging from the fascinating projects portrayed in this book from inspirational micro-homes and elegant mid-scale structures through to larger, ambitious buildings like the National Art Centre in Tokyo. Trends Living Magazine Japan remains an architectural hothouse, bursting with some of the most original and daring designs anywhere. This book--well-organized, beautifully illustrated, with insightful commentary--provides an excellent overview of the best work from the past ten years. A must-have for architects, connoisseurs of great design, and anyone who wants to come take a look for themselves. --John Mader, president, AIA Japan Deftly structured and insightfully curated, this book is a kaleidoscopic representation of the varied architecture that has been produced in Japan in the last five years across scales as well as types. The projects selected unfold for the reader a highly pluralistic world of multiple responses and visual expressions in new Japanese architecture. --Rahul Mehrotra, Professor and Chair of Urban Planning and Design, GSD, Harvard University; principal of RMA Architects Mumbai The excitement and elegance of recent modern Japanese architecture is very well documented in this book, and the core concepts and future trends thoughtfully explained. It is a delight to read. --Raquel Ramati, Urban Designer, New York This is a very well researched book that presents innovative projects in their architectural as well as urban context. --Richard Plunz, Director Urban Design Program, GSAPP, Columbia University New York Just as one might hope from a book entitled New Japan Architecture, ingenious designs are in abundance, confirming the ongoing symbiotic relationship between Japanese architecture and water, light and nature. Structures with the wow factor leap off the page but sensitivity and refinement are the new watchwords as Japanese architects create new languages for the senses to absorb. Exciting new public buildings have also sprung up in an attempt to revitalize the Japanese educational system and drag the country out of the economic impasse. Embracing experimentation, sophisticated craftsmanship, sustainable materials, technology and contemporary ideas must be a prerequisite for anyone wishing to study architecture in Japan judging from the fascinating projects portrayed in this book--from inspirational micro-homes and elegant mid-scale structures through to larger, ambitious buildings like the National Art Centre in Tokyo. --Trends Living Magazine Mehta and MacDonald present a mesmerizing album of four-color photographs accompanied by text that explains the inspiration and construction of each project. Readers will be delighted to find a Nakamura Keith Haring Museum that sits like an exclamation mark on a hill in the village of Kobuchizawa in the Japanese Alps, with a gallery complex by Atsushi Kitagawara that features hot springs (onsen) in fanciful Haring-like shapes. --Publishers Weekly

Author Information

Geeta K. Mehta is an adjunct professor of architecture and urban design at Columbia University in New York. A resident of Japan for 23 years, she is a practicing architect who has designed projects in the USA, Japan, India, Vietnam and Indonesia. She is the co-author of several books including Japan Style, Japan Houses and Japan Living. Deanna MacDonald studied art and architectural history in Canada and Europe. She received her MA from the Central European University in Prague and her Ph.D. from McGill University in Montreal. She currently resides in Tokyo.

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