The Aesthetics of Traditional and

Modern Japanese Architecture

Questions
Are traditional Japanese aesthetics still
present in the ever changing, innovative,
globalized field of modern architecture?
What factors have shaped their evolution?

Climate and topography

Earthquakes, typhoons
and floods destroy all
things built by man.
Virtually the only thing
which has lasting value is
land, the plot on which a
building stands.
70% of Japan is
mountainous, so only a
limited amount of land
can be inhabited.
Space is a particularly
precious commodity.

Pre-modern Japanese architecture

in domestic architecture (minka, lit. houses of the
people) we can distinguish several types of buildings:
farmhouses (nka)
fishermens huts (gyoka)
mountain houses (sanka)
town houses (machiya)
row-houses (nagaya)

native architectural designs

imitated forms from other
Asian cultures, especially China

Pre-modern Japanese architecture

Initially preference was given to the Chinese architectural
model, but gradually the Japanese adapted the imported
elements to suit their needs and preferences.
Chinese model
symmetry
buildings layout determined
by the wide courtyard

Japanese adaptations
asymmetry
buildings layout determined
by topography

Pre-modern Japanese architecture

The architecture we feel today to be typically Japanese
emerged during the Muromachi period:
low-rise buildings
thatched or tiled roofs
modular wood frames
permanent and moving walls
tatami (straw mats)
fusuma (sliding doors)
shoji (wooden-lattice exterior
sliding doors covered with rice paper)
tokonoma (recessed alcoves)

The most notable style is the Sukiya style,

considered to be the quintessence of the
Japanese architectural preference for the
natural, the living and the raw.

Traditional
materials

bamboo
straw
stone: building foundations
wood:
has absorbent properties and is widely available
used in all its forms (planks, tree bark, paper)
deep appreciation of its qualities lead to it being favored
despite foreign influences
minimally processed wooden surfaces change their
appearance with the passing of time and blend in
harmoniously with their surroundings

Traditional
materials
The Japanese have a
sensitivity to the qualities of a
material, a desire to enhance
them.
Traditional aesthetic concepts:
shizen naturalness
shibui an understated,
elegant beauty
daisuzoku or freedom
from attachment
(permanence through
materials is not attempted)

Materials in modern Japan

As Japan opened itself to the Western world, architecture was
influenced by new ideas. The assimilation and adaptation of
foreign elements is the recurring theme.
Brick buildings were built
especially in port towns
open to international trade.
Europeannessthat which
is intrinsic to Europehas
become one of the elements
that form Japaneseness.

Materials in modern Japan

This trend continued beyond the Meiji period, and the use of
new materials, particularly in the rebuilding of cities after WWII,
discontinued the natural evolution of Japanese architecture.
However modern architects have preserved a heightened
awareness of the properties and aesthetic qualities of the
materials they use both natural and man-made which allows
them to provide the viewers with rich multisensory experiences.

Time: form is kept, contents evaporate

The acceptance of impermanence is linked to Buddhist and
Shinto philosophy.
periodic rebuilding and transferring of buildings from one
location to another

Ise Shrine
- Shinto values are preserved (purification of the space,
renewal of the power of the Shinto spirits)
- construction methods and associated ceremonies are
handed down to the next generation
- concept of materiality is absent, and a natural, cyclical flow
is achieved

Cyclicity, transience and natural flow

Japanese cities have a dynamic vitality due to natural disasters
and the poor condition of older buildings.
Structures are ephemeral: the average lifespan of residential
buildings is 25 years, after which they are demolished and
rebuilt.
The lack of tradition has a long tradition
where the physical constitution of
buildings is concerned.

Natures place
Shinto believe that man and environment
have an organic relationship fdo.
Traces of fdo can be found in cities
today where new buildings coexist with old shrines, but not in
utilitarian, large-scale domestic architecture which appeared as a
solution to the ever increasing post-WWII population.
Many contemporary buildings incorporate
the natural features of the landscape
(trees, rocks, natural slopes) and are
orientated according to them.

Natures place
Avant-garde designs in 1960s1970s still sought a connection to
natural surroundings and saw
architecture as a biological process.
Pervaded by a sense of peace and internationalization,
townhouses are popular in cities, whilst in rural areas the family
house with a garden is preferred. Vacation homes are built to
merge the landscape with the house, showing the presence of
fdo.
The bubble economy of the 1980s allowed for more extravagant
construction projects and gave rise to a tendency toward
extremes and excess.

Zen and traditional architecture

Zen encourages contemplation, direct experience, spontaneity
and an interest in the essence of things.
Tranquility (sei-jaku) and profundity (yugen) are achieved as
each element is functional and aesthetically pleasing:
asymmetry
flexibility of space
effective use of natural light and ventilation
selection of minimally processed materials
subdued natural colors
representation of nature (gardens, tokonoma)

Zen and traditional architecture

Kanso (simplicity, clarity, lack of clutter, removing everything that
is not essential) is achieved through minimalist design.
Furnishings do not reveal the function of a space, and the room
needs mans participation to fill the void. This encourages
introspection:
the empty room provides the very space where mans spirit
can move freely and where his thoughts can reach the very
limits of their potential.

Effects on contemporary architecture

spaces with large intentionally blank areas which allow the
rest of the building to stand out in harmonious contrast
narrow color ranges emphasize
lines and shapes and make for a
streamlined minimalist aesthetic
experience.

Effects on contemporary architecture

movable or sliding elements blur the boundaries between
rooms and allow overlapping functions

natural light still is a central feature and

government-imposed building codes
regulate a buildings height so that
natural light is not blocked out for
surrounding constructions
contemporary residences feature
skylights, split levels and opaque
materials which bring in a lot of light

uchi , soto
The Japanese home has traditionally served as a screen between
the inner circle and the outside world.
As organically evolving neighborhoods disappeared, the
construction of small urban apartments translated into an
introverted architecture that related to the city, a potentially
hostile environment, in a defensive way.
The microcosm of the modern
Japanese house allows residents
to isolate themselves from the
outside world, yet there are
experiments with open spaces
and many of these are
reminiscent of traditional values.

Gardens
Gardens were designed based on the Chinese model and served
to display status, entertain guests and contemplate.
Rock gardens (karesansui) and tea gardens (chaniwa) eventually
displayed artistic elements such as the interplay of the hidden
and the visible.

Interior and exterior space (nature) are linked by the garden:

manipulated, idealized miniaturization of the outdoors
illusion of being in nature by walking in something artificial
order brought into chaos through balanced, rhythmical
composition

Gardens
due to space limitations, urban
residences developed tsuboniwa (small
gardens in inner courtyards), but they
are uncommon in today's urban areas.
in cities the dream of a garden
remains alive, as evidenced by
the lovingly arranged flowerpots
in front of many houses
there are numerous
experiments with incorporating
gardens into modern buildings

Conclusions
Japanese aesthetics were shaped by geographical, climatic,
social, cultural and political factors
The Japanese integrated contrasting native and foreign
elements of traditional and modern architectural design
fundamental Japanese concepts are still addressed today
Simplicity, elegance, minimalism and modular design are still
at the core of modern Japanese buildings,
many elements employed in construction and design are
reminiscent of nature.
Contemporary Japanese architecture:
currents of innovation, roots in tradition