One of my favorite architect, Toyo Ito won the Prizker Prize 2013. The Prizker Prize is known for the most prestigious prize in architectural world and it's known as the Nobel Prize in architects. I'd like to introduce about him with his latest works and what he is trying now.
One of judge member said the reason for his prize is that his style is neither a minimalist nor parametric way. He also has been designing innovative architecture with his outstanding design technique.
I've visited one of his representative work "Sendai Mediatheque" before. I still remember that I was moved by his amazing ideas that the building does not cover a structural element like a heat duct and a water line. These elements are used as skeleton pillars and these are also the main design icon at the same time. In addition, the building became a hot topic in Japan as it has endured from East Japan great earthquake disaster even though the building has wide open space.
Recently, he organized the new project called "Minna-no-ie"(Houese for everyone) based on his thought that giving more human-like life and comfort space to people who are living at temporally houses in disaster area: Rikuzen Takata city. Also, He directed The Japan Pavilion for the 13th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia which theme is “Architecture in the Wake of Disaster” and introducing the making process of Minna-no-ie has been awarded the Golden Lion for Best National Participation.
While he creates cool buildings by using his innovative idea and leading-edge technology, he also said "I feel renewed of the importance of intercommunication of man with nature. It could lead to the lack of animality emotional sensitivity that people originally have if we lose the intercommunication of man with nature." at the interview of this project.
He also said" there is a plan to land up 5 meters on the disaster area, but if it will be filled up, various scenery with citizen's memories will be lost. Who can keep in mind to stay here and to rebuild in the such a no memory place?
Rebuilt plan should be considered not only focusing on water level, but the citizen's memory and feeling more" in his speech.
In his way, he is trying to convey his thought of how important the word of "bond" ,"intercommunication of man with nature" and "memory of the city where people live in" to young architects and students through his speech and workshop.
Even though the design style is different, another famous Japanese architect Tadao Ando said the same thing and I feel this through his works.
I think these key-words are really good, because these feeling express like Japan's original beauty of the four seasons but at the same time there are a lot of disasters. Also, these concept are required in the age to come.
We should rethink the way of thinking such as "bond" "intercommunication of man with nature" "Memory of the city" that were common in old-time Japan and reflect these concept in our house and city development not only focusing on improving our comfort
Written in 2013 April
日本語版
Japanese Architect, Toyo Ito
私の好きな建築家の一人である伊東豊雄さんが２０１３年度のプリッカー賞を受賞した。プリッカー賞は建築分野で最も権威がある賞で「建築界のノーベル賞」と言われています。今回は彼の最近の作品や建築に対する考え方を紹介したいと思います。
「伊東氏の表現形式は、ミニマリストにもパラメトリックな手法にも収まらない」また「革新的な建築概念を卓越した設計技法で実現してきた」と今回の受賞に関して審査員の一人は述べています。
彼の代表作の一つでもあるせんだいメディアテークに行った事があるのですが、構造部材、ヒートダクト、送水管などを壁の向こうに隠すのではなく、スケルトンの柱としてデザインの中心におくというコンセプトがそのままデザインの特徴になっており感動した覚えがあります。またその開放的なデザインにも関わらず東日本大震災に耐えたという事でも話題になりました。
最近では東日本大震災で壊滅的な被害を受けた陸前高田に仮設住宅で暮らす人々により人間的で居心地の良い空間を提供したいという思いから「みんなの家」と呼ばれるプロジェクトを企画しました。またこのみんなの家を作るプロセスを展示した「ここに、建築は、可能か」をテーマとした第13回ヴェネチア・ビエンナーレ建築展の日本館は最優秀賞である、パヴィリオン賞（金獅子賞）を受賞しました。
また彼は斬新なデザインと技術を駆使した建物を創造する一方で今回の「みんなの家」プロジェクトのインタビューで「改めて今、人と自然が接する事の大切さを感じます。それが失われる事は人が持つ動物的感受性の逸脱に繋がります」とのべている。また「被災地の土地利用計画案で５Mのかさ上げ計画案などが提案されているが、埋め立ててしまう事で、人それぞれに思い入れのある様々な風景が失われてしま う。そんな姿になった町に現在の様に「この町に残ろう！」「復興させよう！」という気持ちを持ち続けられるだろうか？単に津波の水位から解決方法を考える だけでなく、もっと人の思いや心を街作りに反映すべき！」とある講演会で述べています。
このように「絆」や「自然との対話」さらにその土地に対し人々が持つ「記憶」など改めて彼は建築に於いて何が大切なのかという事を後進の建築家や学生などに講義やワークショップを通じて伝えようとしています。
安藤忠雄も表現手法は違えど同じ方向性の趣旨を述べていてそれが彼の建築から感じる事が出来ます。
このようなキーワードは美しい四季がある一方で災害も多い国日本で生まれ育った日本人建築家らしい発想でとても良いと思うしこれからの時代に一番求められてるコンセプトではないでしょうか。
快適性の向上だけでなく、昔の日本の家に普通にあった「絆」「自然との対話」「記憶」などの考え方を今一度見直して家や街づくりに反映していきたいですね。
