Tectonic Tradition in Japan

In Japan, design, both traditional and contemporary, is inseparable from materials and how they are constructed together. There is a long history of fruitful collaboration between architects and structural engineers in creating innovative architecture, such as Yoyogi Gymnasium and Sendai Mediatheque. In this seminar, variety topics related to either structure and/or material relevant to the design and making of the built environment of all scale are discussed.  The seminar consists of classroom lectures and laboratory workshops:

– Material Workshop (Kanshitsu): Kenji Toki (Miyagi University) will introduces the traditional material of Urushi which has been used over 3,000 years from small accessory to large scale architecture. He will demonstrate the traditional fabrication technique. Lecture and demonstration will take place at Tokyo University of the Arts.
– Material Workshop (Concrete): Hands on workshop to cast concrete of various texture. Workshop will take place at Tokyo University of the Arts.  

Enrollment in this course was pre-selected.