【Book Description】
Contemporary Japanese architecture holds a prominent place on the global architectural stage, celebrated for its exceptional creativity, commitment to sustainability, and sensitivity to spatial experience. Since the 1970 Osaka World Expo brought modern Japanese forms to international attention, the nation has continued to influence global architectural trends with its innovative and culturally rooted works. To date, seven Japanese architects have been awarded the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize, underscoring the country’s unique and influential design philosophy.
Among them, Tadao Ando stands out as a seminal figure who helped bring Japanese architecture to the forefront of global discourse. Through his use of minimalist geometry and exposed concrete, Ando established a distinctive architectural language that bridges Eastern spirituality and Western modernism. Following his lead, architects such as Kengo Kuma, Shigeru Ban, and Kazuyo Sejima have redefined the field with lighter, more transparent structures that prioritize nature, materiality, and human-scale experiences. From the Japan National Stadium and the Mount Fuji World Heritage Center to the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, their works exemplify a contemporary architectural vision rooted in ecological sensitivity and a profound respect for place.
Equally noteworthy is the emergence of a younger generation of architects who go beyond stylistic inheritance, choosing instead to respond directly to their environment. In a country shaped by high urban density, frequent seismic activity, and deep cultural continuity, these designers have developed an architecture that embraces ambiguity, impermanence, and the creative possibilities of constraint. Their work often moves beyond the traditional drawing board, favoring intuitive, site-specific experimentation. This design attitude can be seen in Sejima’s Kanazawa Museum, where ephemeral light and shifting reflections poetically express a sense of uncertainty and transience.
Presented in an XL-format, this book features a carefully curated selection of 39 contemporary Japanese architects and 55 outstanding architectural projects, spanning public buildings, cultural institutions, residential spaces, and small-scale community facilities. Highlights include Tadao Ando’s Poly Theater in Shanghai, Shigeru Ban’s La Seine Musicale in France, SANAA’s Grace Farms, Fumihiko Maki’s 4 World Trade Center, and Takashi Suo’s sustainable dental clinic. Each project is documented with high-quality photographs, original floor plans, technical drawings, and insightful commentary, offering a comprehensive look at the richness and diversity of Japanese architectural expression.
The volume also includes an in-depth essay tracing the evolution of Japanese architecture from the Metabolist movement to the present day. It examines the dynamic interplay between tradition and innovation, the local and the global, revealing how these forces continue to shape one of the most distinctive architectural cultures in the world. More than a project catalog, this is an essential exploration of the social, cultural, and aesthetic dimensions that make contemporary Japanese architecture shine on the world stage.
【Publication Details】
Editor: Philip Jodidio
Publisher: TASCHEN
Year: 2021
Dimensions: 38 × 26 cm
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 448 pages
