Can Architecture Be Both Modern and “Japanese”?
Can Architecture Be Both Modern and “Japanese”?
The Expression of Japanese Cultural Identity through Architectural Practice from 1850 to the Present
This chapter examines the expression of Japanese cultural identity through architecture from 1850 to the present. It begins with a discussion of the birth of the architectural profession in Japan based on ideas borrowed from the West, along with the role played by architects in the country’s modernization project that included the construction of structures inspired by Western architecture. It then considers the controversy regarding the Japaneseness of modern design stemming from the establishment of institutions for the training and promotion of Western architectural practices throughout Japan. It also assesses the architectural projects that were launched as Japan embarked on a rebuilding effort after World War II. Finally, it highlights the debate over modernist architecture versus the desire for more explicit connections with premodern Japanese architecture.
Keywords: cultural identity, Japan, modernization, Japaneseness, modernist architecture, Western architecture, architects, Japanese architecture, modern design
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