Visit-1: 《My House》 by Kiyoshi Seike, 1954

Visit-2: 《Nakagin Capsule Tower》 by Kisho Kurokawa, 1972

Visit-3: Exhibition 《Dreams of Life Connected by Modern Design》in Panasonic Shiodome Museum of Art

I joined the modern architecture tour in the suburb of Tokyo with 3 architectural experts from Singapore, Malaysia and Philippine organized by AccessPoint: Architectrue-Tokyo. They came to Japan for the conference of mASEANa (modern ASEAN architecture) Project. They are not only architect, but also work for the conservation of modern architecture in each country.

At first, we visited to My House designed by Kiyoshi Seike. My House is known well as one of his masterpieces. The size is just 50㎡, but we could fell richness of their living-life. Because I feel openness of this house which is structured by just few walls of edge, and could take large window towards the garden. In addition, the floor is covered by stones which is continuing to the garden. It makes perfect sequence between inside and outside, and give inhabitant comfortability. I impressed a question from Singapore participant, “Why is this house conserved well?”. Then Yagi-Sensei, who is the husband of Kiyoshi’s elder daughter,  replied “inhabitants in this house were changed several times, but every inhabitants tried to keep this house good condition”. Then, I thought the heart or spirit of community around the architecture is the most important element for modern architecture to keep so long.

Next, we went to Nakagin Capsule Tower. This time, we couldn’t enter the building, but the participants satisfied very much. Because they could see the real one which they had saw the picture in the book of Metabolism architecture for long time. It is like “reunion with old friend”.

Finally, we went to Panasonic Shiodome Museum of Art to see the exhibition 《Dreams of Life Connected by Modern Design》. This exhibition focuses on the appearance of functional modern design in Japan. We can understand the history of modern design and development grown out form functionalism through the works by Bruno Taut, Antonin Raymond, Isamu Noguchi and Isamu Kenmochi etc…

Through this tour, I’m convinced that participants could feel aesthetics of each architect and designer who struggle in Japan of modern era.

Keigo Kubishiro（Doctor course student: Tokyo University of Science）