ARTH 272(S) Survey of Modern Japanese Architecture*

In the 1930s, European architects discovered in Japan's traditional architecture a model of the kind of spare, abstract work they were trying to create. The architectural dialogue between East and West continues in full force today, and will be an underlying theme of this class. We will survey the major movements in Japanese architecture from the Meiji Restoration until the present, emphasizing the sources of these movements, both in traditional Japanese architecture and in contemporary international developments. The course will explore the social and formal movements behind the built work, noting the radical transformation in Japanese society from pre-World War II to post-war, and from the post-war period until today. Examinations of recent Japanese architecture will include the reactions to post-modernism, the work of Japanese architects abroad, and the role of Western architects working in Japan, from Frank Lloyd Wright to Frank Gehry. Japanese architects to be covered include Trade Ando, Kenzo Tange, Arata Isozaki, Fumihiko Maki, and Kazuo Shinobara, among others. Requirements: two short papers, mid-term exam, and a final exam. Students with a background in studio art/architecture may substitute a graphic analysis of a building for one of the papers. No prerequisites.

Hour: A. REICHERT