Japanese Architecture

All Posts
Japanese Architecture
Japanese Modernism
Antonin Raymond
Gunma Music centre
St. Anselm's Church
San-Ai Dream Centre
Nikken Sekkei
Kenzo Tange
St. Mary's Cathedral Tokyo
1964 Tokyo Olympic Stadium
Sachio Otani
Kyoto International Conference Cent
114th Bank Headquarters
Arata Isozaki
Oita Prefectural Library
Japanese Exoticism
Zenecon
Japanese Construction Industry
Kunio Maekawa
Takamitsu Azuma
Zainichi Koreans in Japan
Japanese Imperialism
Bruno Taut
Jun'Ichiro Tanizaki
Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
Kyoto Kaikan
In Praise of Shadows
Fuzzy Logic
Washi (Japanese Paper)
The Golden Temple

May 20
4 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|21 : Yamanashi Press and Broadcasting Centre : Kenzo Tange

The Yamanashi Press and Broadcasting Centre is one of the few built examples of the theories developed by the Japanese Metabolist group.

john barr

Mar 31
2 min

National Theatre of Japan : Addendum

The National Theatre of Japan, like the 12th century Shoso-in on which the design is based, is an elegant 'black box' housing treasure.

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|20 : National Theatre of Japan : Takenaka Corporation (Hiroyuki Iwamoto)

john barr

Mar 24
2 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|20 : National Theatre of Japan : Takenaka Corporation (Hiroyuki Iwamoto)

The National Theatre of Japan, like the 12th century Shoso-in on which the design is based, is an elegant 'black box' housing treasure.

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|19 : Oita Prefectural Library : Arata Isozaki

john barr

Feb 5
3 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|19 : Oita Prefectural Library : Arata Isozaki

One of the first independent designs by Arata Isozaki, whose body of works records the architecture of the 20th century.

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|18 : 114th Bank Headquarters : Nikken Sekkei

john barr

Jan 11
3 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|18 : 114th Bank Headquarters : Nikken Sekkei

An example of Nikken Sekkei's, technically-accomplished, clean-cut modernism that looks more to the USA than Europe.

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|17 : Kyoto International Conference Centre : Sachio Otani

john barr

Dec 16, 2020
4 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|17 : Kyoto International Conference Centre : Sachio Otani

Part of the Japanese government's ambition to host major international conferences at a scale to compete with the UN in New York.

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|16 : Tokyo Olympic Stadium : Kenzo Tange

john barr

Jul 24, 2020
4 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|16 : Tokyo Olympic Stadium : Kenzo Tange

Kenzo Tange’s Yoyogi Stadium came to symbolise the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games and Japan's return to the world stage.

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|15 : St. Mary’s Cathedral : Kenzo Tange

john barr

Jul 8, 2020
3 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|15 : St. Mary’s Cathedral : Kenzo Tange

St. Mary's Cathedral Tokyo was opened in the same year as the Yoyogi Olympic Stadia designed by Kenzo Tange for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|14 : Nanzan University : Antonin Raymond

john barr

May 29, 2020
4 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|14 : Nanzan University : Antonin Raymond

Nanzan University illustrates Antonin Raymond's belief in Modernism and efficiency but also contains the seed of its corruption.

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|13 : San-Ai Dream Centre : Nikken Sekkei

john barr

Feb 4, 2020
4 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|13 : San-Ai Dream Centre : Nikken Sekkei

The San-Ai Dream Centre has stood the test of time due to a design that maintains a clear focus on the purpose of the building.

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|12 : Gunma Music Centre : Antonin Raymond

john barr

Feb 4, 2020
8 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|12 : Gunma Music Centre : Antonin Raymond

The Gunma Music centre raises questions as to whether its form is a result of function or the pursuit of style.

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|11 Ozaki Memorial Hall : Ichiro Ebihara

John Barr

Oct 22, 2019
8 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|11 Ozaki Memorial Hall : Ichiro Ebihara

The Osaka Memorial Hall marks the introduction of parliamentary democracy to Japan and the possibility of a new beginning after WWII.

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|10 Toyoda Hall : Fumihiko Maki

John Barr

Aug 30, 2019
7 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|10 Toyoda Hall : Fumihiko Maki

Toyoda Hall, Fumihiko Maki's debut project, contains the seeds of ideas that he has continued to develop throughout his career...

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|09 Ministry of Foreign Affairs : Hideo Kosaka

John Barr

Aug 2, 2019
5 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|09 Ministry of Foreign Affairs : Hideo Kosaka

The design of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building represents a time when modernism was concerned with social issues.

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|08 Kasuien : Togo Murano

John Barr

Jul 2, 2019
10 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|08 Kasuien : Togo Murano

Togo Murano is one of the most popular 20th century architects amongst Japanese, and yet he is not widely known outside Japan...

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|07 : Ura House : Takamasa Yoshizaka

John Barr

Jun 4, 2019
4 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|07 : Ura House : Takamasa Yoshizaka

The Ura House, designed by Takamasa Yoshizaka in 1956, is influenced by Corbusian ideas but also anticipates Japanese Metabolism.

From Imperial Power to Consumer Power : Imperial Palace, Kyoto to Naka Incineration Plant, Hiroshima

John Barr

May 7, 2019
3 min

From Imperial Power to Consumer Power : Imperial Palace, Kyoto to Naka Incineration Plant, Hiroshima

The Naka Incineration Plant Hiroshima illustrates Japan's movement from a pre-modern, feudal, society to a post-modern, consumer society.

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|06 : Osaka Gas Building : Takeo Yasui.

John Barr

Apr 29, 2019
4 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|06 : Osaka Gas Building : Takeo Yasui.

The Osaka Gas Building, designed by Takeo Yasui and completed in 1933, reflects Osaka's optimistic embrace of the future at that time.

Tokyo Story : Looking Without Trying to Prove Anything

John Barr

Feb 26, 2019
20 min

Tokyo Story : Looking Without Trying to Prove Anything

Between 1932 and 1962 Yasujiro Ozu made a series of films that provide a slice of Tokyo life during the arrival of Modernism in Japan.

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|05 : Kagawa Prefectural Government Offices : Takamatsu : Kenzo Tange

John Barr

Dec 12, 2018
9 min

Do|Co|Mo|Mo|Japan|05 : Kagawa Prefectural Government Offices : Takamatsu : Kenzo Tange

The Kagawa Prefectural Government Offices (1958) offered a radical new vision of what Japanese public buildings might be.

{"items":["60a51b5c8aa9da0015405901","606345627c62ba00150f776f","605b250d8604de0015cb45cb","601ac5333180510017441ebf","5fe086776be61c0017460b84","5fda161c9a5f800017f8a4ba","5f17fd12f0277300170c1b4b","5f047a412a3a9c0017e36830","5ed11a37b2c9c900175bea5e","5e39520c2d3f1200178ea3ab","5e00f70005e7e90017413e12","5dfe2c40ba375b001732aef4","5dfe2c40e90c670017baf29a","5dfe2c40de7d6700174aeba8","5dfe2c40ba375b001732aef5","5dfe2c4042c81000178b91a1","5dfe2c407e6a4600178b38ee","5dfe2c4080774500178d3cf9","5dfe2c40ee88af0017ddcf85","5dfe2c40d1d351001717a94b"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Columns","groupSize":1,"showArrows":true,"cubeImages":true,"cubeType":"fill","cubeRatio":1.3333333333333333,"isVertical":true,"gallerySize":30,"collageAmount":0,"collageDensity":0,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":false,"imageMargin":32,"galleryMargin":0,"scatter":0,"rotatingScatter":"","chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":true,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":false,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":1,"enableInfiniteScroll":true,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":50,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCropRatios":"","columnWidths":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":1,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":1,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":true,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":4,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"bottom","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":false,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":4,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":"SHOW_ON_THE_RIGHT","galleryTextAlign":"center","scrollSnap":false,"itemClick":"nothing","fullscreen":true,"videoPlay":"hover","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","slideAnimation":"SCROLL","scrollDirection":0,"scrollDuration":400,"overlayAnimation":"FADE_IN","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":23,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":200,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"NEVER_SHOW","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imagePlacementAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxWidthMode":"PERCENT","textBoxHeight":0,"textBoxWidth":200,"textBoxWidthPercent":50,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"ATTACHED_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":1,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":"1","videoLoop":true,"jsonStyleParams":"","gallerySizeType":"px","gallerySizePx":940,"allowTitle":true,"allowContextMenu":true,"textsHorizontalPadding":-30,"itemBorderColor":{"themeName":"color_12","value":"rgba(51,51,51,1)"},"showVideoPlayButton":true,"galleryLayout":2,"targetItemSize":940,"selectedLayout":"2|bottom|1|fill|true|0|true","layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":2,"isSlideshowFont":false,"externalInfoHeight":0,"externalInfoWidth":0.5},"container":{"width":940,"galleryWidth":972,"galleryHeight":0,"scrollBase":0,"height":null}}