"Tadao Ando: Living Architecture"
Writer Profile
Riichi Miyake
Other : Guest Professor, Tokyo University of ScienceSpecial Keio University alumni
Riichi Miyake
Other : Guest Professor, Tokyo University of ScienceSpecial Keio University alumni
2020/08/25
Japanese architects are full of energy. You really feel this when you go to Paris or New York. Among them, the most spirited is Tadao Ando, who is based in Osaka and active all over the world. Now 78 years old, while he took the world by storm with his beautiful concrete expressions, he is also widely recognized as a social hero for his passionate nature and his willingness to put himself on the line when facing crises.
I first met him in the early 1980s, when an editor of an architecture magazine introduced us so I could see his residential works. Since then, we have crossed paths on various occasions, and it was through this connection that I came to publish this biography.
Writing the life of an architect as a biography is difficult. Unlike an artist who is solely focused on their work, an architect is deeply committed to society through the act of building, and their scope is wide-ranging. Furthermore, in Ando's case, he has built a network of contacts all over the world, interacting equally with everyone from local neighborhood women to the world's leading art collectors and even presidents of major powers. Dealing with such a person, there is no telling how much time and effort the research alone would take. Nevertheless, the reason I dared to take on this task was that I wanted to capture the cultural phenomenon now known internationally as "Tadao Ando" as accurately as possible across national borders.
What I noticed during my research was that Ando is held in remarkably high regard in France, and there is a wealth of excellent criticism. Since the 1980s, French professionals have been making "pilgrimages" to see Ando, and based on that history, large-scale exhibitions have been held many times. Ando has designed numerous art museums, and his compatibility with these institutions likely elevates his reputation even further.
In the past, architects called "masters" used to walk around with a trail of disciples, but Ando travels around town alone on the subway. A University of Tokyo professor who is a high school graduate and former professional boxer, a great architect whose motto is living in a traditional row house—this unique, monk-like way of life has attracted many people. I would be honored if you could gain even a small glimpse into this architect who looks out at the world from a corner of Osaka and continues to send messages to people across borders.
*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of publication.