JAPAN

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE

Imperial
Architecture

Kyoto Imperial Palace

TheKyotoImperial Palace(
Kyoto-gosho) is the former ruling
palace of theEmperor of Japan. The
Emperors have since resided at the
Tokyo Imperial Palace.
after
the
Meiji Restorationin 1869, and the
preservation of the Kyoto 1Imperial
Palace was ordered in 1877. Today, the
grounds are open to the public, and
theImperial Household Agencyhosts
public tours of the buildings several
times a day.

LAYOUT
The palace is situated in theKyotogyoen( ?), a large rectangular
enclosure 1,300 metres (4,300ft) north to
south and 700 metres (2,300ft) east to west
which
also
contains
theSento
Imperial
Palacegardens. The estate dates from the
earlyEdo periodwhen the residence of high
court nobles were grouped close together with
the palace and the area walled. When the
capital was moved to Tokyo, the residences of
the court nobles were demolished and most of
Kyoto Gyoen is now a park open to the public.

The grounds include a number of

buildings, along with the imperial
residence, ordairi( ). The
neighbouring building to the north
is thesento( ), or residence of
the retired emperor, and beyond
that, across Imadegawa Avenue,
sitsDoshisha
University.
TheImperial
Household
Agencymaintains the building and
the grounds and also runs public
tours.

Okurumayose

SHODAI BUNOMA

Shinmikurumayose

Kenreimon

SHONKU-DEN

Shishin-den

Takamikura

Michodai

Seiryo-den

KOGOSHO

Ogakumonjo

Otsunegoten

Osuzumisho

Omima

Jumeimon

CONTEMPORARY
ARCHITECTURE
JAPAN PAVILION
2015 Milan World Expo

 The 3D pavilion is made partly with

bamboo, a fast-growing grass that is
ubiquitous in Japan, and partly with
wood.
A sophisticated joining system that
relies strictly on carved wood and no
metal couplers holds the grid
together. Called living construction,
this design technique helps to render
a building more resistant to major
earth movements, which are common
in Japan.

 Use of wood also represents Japan's

forest preservation strategies and
satoyoma, natural woodlands that the
Japanese are careful to protect--even
in dense urban areas.
Japan's pavilion aims to strike the
perfect balance between tradition
and modernity, and a general sense
of harmony, both aesthetic and
ecological.

RELIGIOUS
ARCHITECTURE

HORYUJI TEMPLE

HORYUJI TEMPLE
Horyuji was built in
607, in the village of
Ikaruga between Asuka
and Nara, as a retreat for
Prince
RegentShotoku
Taishiin his retirement.
While regent, Shotoku
had
established
Buddhism as the state
religion of Japan. Upon
his death, the temple
became the centre of his
memorial cult.

LAYOUT
Horyuji is divided
into an East Precinct
and a West Precinct,
with the courtyard of
each precinct aligned
on a north-south
axis.
The Chu-mon
(Middle Gate) is
straight ahead, with
the Five-Story
Pagoda visible to the
left.

CHUMON (Middle Gate)

Nio

Naraen

MISSHAKU

FIVE STORY
PAGODA
Horyuji's Pagoda is one
of the oldest wooden
buildings in the world.
The stories of
Horyuji'spagoda
decrease in size from
bottom to top. The
100-foot-tall structure
is built around a
massive internal post
that was cut from a
single tree trunk

Clay
Statues
Four tableaux, of
painted statuettes
made of unbaked
clay, are displayed in
alcoves on the
outside walls of the
pagoda.

A. the Paradise of Maitreya(S),

B. theDivision of Relics(W)
C. theColloquy between Manjusri
and Vimalakirti(E)
D. theDeath of the Buddha(N).

Kondo (Golden Hall)

PARADISE FRESCO

Golden Hall (Interior)

Shakyamuni Triad

Apsaras

Dai Kodo (Lecture Hall)

Yumedono (Hall Of Dreams)

Yumedono Kannon

Belfry

Contemporary Architecture

Komyo-ji temple

SECULAR
ARCHITECTURE

Minka
Secular Japanese Architecture

Minka
Freestanding houses of
farmers and merchants
outside the city.
It is designed depending on
the
local geography and climate
lifestyle

Different types of Minka

Gassho-zukuri
Magariya
Suzume-odori
Yamatomune
Kudo-zukori

Gassho-zukuri
Steep, high gabled roof
Areas with heavy snowfall

Magariya
L-shaped minka
In Northern Honshu, especially
Iwate Prefecture

Suzume-odori
Sparrow-dance with ornamental
ridge
In Nagaro Prefecture

Yamatomune
Combination of thatch and tile
roofs
In the Yamato Alley with Nara
and Osaka prefectures

Kudo-zukuri
Separate roofs on adjoining
wings
In Northern Kyushu

Wood Species used in Minka

Nanbu
Akiyama
Shirakawa
Tsuruga
Nose
Totsugawa
Shodoshima
Shibara

Nanbu

Mostly Japanese red or black

pine, Japanese cedar, Japanese
cypress, chestnut, and poplar
were heavily used.

Akiyama
Mainly beech, with some
Japanese cypress, castor arabia,
Japanese Judas and white oak.

Shirakawa
Mostly Japanese red or black
pine and Japanese cypress.

Tsuruga
Much Japanese red or black pine,
chestnut and zelkova, and some
Japanese cedar and Japanese
walnut.

Nose
Much Japanese red or black pine
and chestnut, with some
Japanese cypress and magnolia.

Totsugawa
Much Japanese cedar and
Japanese cypress, with some
Japanese red or black pine.

Shodoshima
Japanese cedar and Japanese red
or black pine.

Shiibara
Much Japanese red or black pine
and Japanese cedar, some
zelkova and Japanese cypress,
and a little Japanese walnut.

Contemporary
Architecture:
Tokyo National Art
Center

National Art Center

Tokyo, Japan
The innovatively designed
National Art Center opened in
Tokyos Roppongi in 2007.
The building has the largest
exhibition space in Japan.
It was designed by architect
Kurokawa Kisho,

Features

The building contains seven 2,000 square meter

column-less galleries, that can be divided up into
smaller spaces by a series of internal partitions. The
partitions, each weighing 2.5 ton, can be moved by
two people.
A vast outdoor exhibition space is located on the
back side of the building
Skylights and translucent spaces between the wood
slatted walls admits daylight into the galleries.
The Center also contains a library, an auditorium, a
restaurant, a cafe, a museum shop, and a rooftop
garden. The restaurant and caf are located in the
upper part of two inverted concrete cones.