In an episode last summer, I covered my first autobiography about the story and works of Yoshihiro Takishita. Looking back at my catalog of podcasts, I found this to be one of the most insightful and enjoyable to listen to.
For a few months now, I’ve been dwelling in the realm of ideas — about beauty, tradition, modernism — and have been itching to bring them down to a more practical, human level. There’s no better place to start than to re-explore the genre of biography. The practitioners of architecture will no doubt have much to offer as I work on my Japanese farmhouse restoration.
Today, Kengo Kuma will give us a tour of his finished works throughout Tokyo, which range from epic sports venues to regal museums to quaint confectionary shops. As arguably the greatest wood architect of his generation, he advocates for an architecture that respects and takes into account its surroundings — as opposed to obtrusive buildings that selfishly obscure their neighbors.
Since my project is mostly a historic building restoration, the house should take its humble place within the neighborhood without much difficulty. However, I think Kuma can still offer inspiration in another area. Collapsed roofs and rotten columns will need full replacement, and there will be plenty of room to use new wood material in a creative (Kuma-influenced) way to bridge the old and the new.
Books Mentioned In This Episode:
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#55 Kengo Kuma's Life as an Architect in Tokyo