Architalk: Seeing the World through Architecture

I-House boasts a building constructed under the collaboration of three prominent modern Japanese architects, and from its inauguration has been receiving guests and members from the field of architecture. To expand this network, I-House launched a new program in 2016, the tenth anniversary of the extensive renovation of the building, inviting speakers from Japan and abroad to think about contemporary issues through architecture.

Architalk Webinar Series

The International House of Japan (IHJ) is proud to present Architalk Webinar Series 2023, featuring two international architects, analyzing the role of architecture within the context of contemporary, global themes.
We aim to highlight how architecture both reflects and responds to critical issues around the globe such as climate change, community building and inclusive/ barrier free society.

Those who wish to receive detailed information on each session through the I-House e-news are asked to register through the e-news registration form.

Organizer: International House of Japan (IHJ)
Sponsor: MRA Foundation

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[Architalk Webinar Series]
#2 Challenging Legal and Social Barriers to Enhance Use of Local Resources

 

  • Speaker： Yoshiharu Tsukamoto (architect and founder of Atelier Bow-wow)
  • Moderator：　Michael Murphy (architect and founder of MASS Design Group)
  • Release Date：April 27, 2023
  • Organizer： International House of Japan (IHJ)
  • Sponsor：　MRA Foundation
Architect Yoshiharu Tsukamoto states that architects should not create buildings that just conform to modern lifestyles, which could cause global environmental degradation, but that encourage people to rethink such lifestyles and challenge legal and mindset norms, which can restrict the use of abundant local resources. In this session, Tsukamoto discusses the philosophy behind his numerous architectural works, including the creation of spaces that promote the active employment of people with disabilities, the review of work manuals, and the utilization of eco-friendly thatched roofs. The interviewer is Michael Murphy, founder of MASS Design Group, an American social architectural design firm.

Archive Video

This video has Japanese subtitles. Go to Youtube Help for more details.

Yoshiharu TSUKAMOTO
Co-founder with Momoyo Kaijima of Tokyo-based architecture firm Atelier Bow-Wow in 1992. Professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, director of General Incorporated Association Small Earth, and director of Window Research Institute. He works in diverse fields ranging from architecture, public spaces, furniture, field surveys, education, art exhibitions, curation, and writing. All his works are based on a theory called behaviorology that aims to reconstruct the commons by enhancing accessibility to local resources. He was awarded the Wolf Prize in architecture in 2022.

Michael MURPHY
Michael P. Murphy Studios focuses on spatial change and transformation in the public realm. Michael was the partner with Hank Willis Thomas on The Embrace and led the design of the 1965 Freedom March Plaza as executive director and founder of MASS Design Group, which he led until December 2022. His works include the Butaro District Hospital, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and the National Gun Violence Memorial.

  Past Architalk Events

[Architalk Webinar Series]
#1 City, Environment and Architecture in Southeast Asia

 

    • Speaker：　Vo Trung Nghia (Architect)
    • Moderator：　Junko Tamura (Associate Professor, Meiji University)
    • Release Date：March 30, 2023
    • Organizer： International House of Japan (IHJ)
    • Sponsor：　MRA Foundation
    Cities around the world need energy-efficient buildings while coping with rising temperatures caused by global warming. In this context, people in other regions may have much to learn from how architecture has helped solve many problems facing cities in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, which has a subtropical climate. Vo Trung Nghia is among the best-known architects in Vietnam today and hails from an area that experienced the Vietnam War. His experiences as a child living in the harsh heat of Vietnam has led him to create a number of highly innovative, environmentally-friendly works that use bamboo and other materials that are better suited to the climate. In the webinar, he describes some of the major ideas behind his award-winning works.

    Archive Video

    This video has Japanese subtitles. Go to Youtube Help for more details.

    Vo Trung Nghia (Architect)
    Born in Vietnam in 1976, Dr. Vo Trong Nghia graduated in Architecture from the University of Tokyo. Despite the praise, Dr. Nghia quit his PhD to return to Vietnam to establish VTN Architects in 2006. He later earned a Ph.D from Waseda University in Tokyo. Since then, VTN Architects has become a leading practice in the world, receiving 152 international awards for his pioneering works in green and bamboo architecture. Amongst the many awards are as The Prince Claus Award from the Netherlands in 2016. The World Economic Forum selected Dr. Nghia as a Young Global Leader in 2014. He has received Gold Medals seven times from ARCASIA.

    Junko Tamura (Associate Professor, Meiji University)
    Holds Doctor of Engineering degree from the University of Tokyo and received a Master of Excellence degree from the Berlage Institute, Rotterdam. Prior to joining Meiji University in 2020, she was an Assistant Professor at the Department of Architecture, School of Design and Environment (SDE), National University of Singapore, as part of the Urban Studies Research Group.　Her main research interest resides in spatial analysis using mathematical models with special focus on African and Asian informal settlements and low-income areas. Her expertise also includes design for spatial upgrading and community participatory processes. With this approach, she constructed small prototypes in Tanzania, Zambia, Cambodia and Indonesia.

      Past Architalk Events

    Architalk x ACC Webinar Series (2022)

    [Architalk Webinar Series x ACC]
    #5 Tradition and Ecology in Architecture and Urban Design
    [Architalk Webinar Series x ACC]
    #4 Building Community through Contemporary Architecture and Design
    [Architalk Webinar Series x ACC]
    #3 Modernism and Architecture in Southeast Asia
    [Architalk Webinar Series x ACC]
    #2 Arts, Architecture, and Society
    [Architalk Webinar Series x ACC]
    #1 The Changing Role of Architects in Society

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    International House of Japan
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