Shingo Masuda

Shingo Masuda (b. 1982) founded joint practice with Katsuhisa Otsubo (b. 1983), Shingo Masuda + Katsuhisa Otsubo in 2007 after graduating from the Musashino Art University respectively. Masuda was the Baird visiting critic at Cornell University in 2015, and has been a specially appointed associate professor at Meiji University from 2019-2022 and adjunct associate professor at Hong Kong University in 2023 spring. H1982 born in Tokyo

Their office approach entails making careful observations and a thorough diagnosis of the daily activities planned for a site and the existing context, pinpointing the elements that can contribute most to shaping a place, and formulating a plan for what needs to be designed. This methodology reflects their pure attitude towards design, which drives them to purge their work of arbitrariness and approach things objectively. By being developed through this process, their architectural works that establish a bold presence even while melding into their surroundings are able to challenge our preconceptions and bring fresh wonder to familiar everyday landscapes.

Major works include Boundary Window (2014), Living Pool (2014), Initiative Roof (2016), House with City (2018), Bind Barn (2018), and Mark the Land (2019), and Heptad Pot(2021). Winners of the AR Emerging Architecture Award (2014) and 32nd Yoshioka Prize (2016). They were selected to be part of the team for the Japanese Pavilion of the Venice Biennale 2016 where they received special mention. They also exhibited at 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial. Their solo exhibition entitled “Shingo Masuda + Katsuhisa Otsubo: Is It Truly Necessary?” was held at TOTO Gallery Ma in 2020. They have also released their first monograph, “Adaptation Shingo Masuda + Katsuhisa Otsubo”, from TOTO Publishing in 2020.