Design Anthology - Kengo Kuma Interview - Book launch

The innovative spirit, fluid forms and sustainable approach of Japanese architect Kengo Kuma are extolled in a new anthology by TASCHEN that documents his complete works

Kuma. Complete Works 1988–Today, published by TASCHEN — *Kuma. Complete Works 1988–Today*, published by TASCHEN

Kengo Kuma gives few interviews, so when he shares personal memories from his childhood and thoughts about design, it deserves attention. In 1964, when he was just ten, Kuma was already determined to dedicate his life to architecture. ‘My father took me to see the Yoyogi National Gymnasium recently designed by Kenzo Tange and I was amazed,’ he writes in the preface for TASCHEN’s newly released monograph, Kuma. Complete Works 1988-Today. ‘Tokyo was an unpretentious city at the time, mainly consisting of one and two-storey wooden houses,’ he continues. ‘Kenzo Tange built two concrete towers in the middle of this flat city and suspended the roof of the Yoyogi National Gymnasium from cables between the towers. It was so much higher than everything else around it that it seemed to touch the sky. I was moved and made the decision that day to become an architect. Kenzo Tange, and creating buildings that touched the sky, were my goals.’

Since then, and with the launch of Kengo Kuma & Associates in 1990, Kuma has honoured this ambition, designing site-specific projects in over 20 countries. Some of the most memorable include the China Academy of Arts’ Folk Art Museum, the V&A Dundee in Scotland and the Chokkura Plaza in Japan, all of which grace the pages of this new tome.

Spanning Kuma’s entire career to date, there are over 500 images, including photographs, sketches and plans. While each project is unique, all reflect Kuma’s skill in translating craft and tradition into innovative and engaging new structures. It’s a philosophy that extends to a respect for nature and the environment in which he is working. ‘I always try to have a conversation with each place,’ he says of the projects that make up his oeuvre.

Also showcased in the book is the 68,000-capacity Japan National Stadium, designed for the 2020/2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. The stadium, clad in panels of cedar wood, is the result of a collaboration between KKAA, Taisei Corporation and Azusa Sekkei. ‘I want it to set an example that will help alter the direction of Japanese architectural design,’ Kuma says.

Currently working on multiple projects simultaneously, the Japanese architect is far from slowing down. ‘Architecture in this age will have an entirely different appearance from 20th-century architecture, made in the time of expansion,’ he notes. ‘What is happiness today? To live with natural materials, to live with intimacy — there may be less for each person, but still people should feel happiness.’

Text / Karine Monié