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/// DESIGN STORIES / Interview with Kengo Kuma Interview with Kengo Kuma / DESIGN STORIES ///

KENGO KUMA
Cocoon-structing

with NATURE

TRADITIONAL MATERIALS, COHABITATION WITH THE Nakabashi, Japon
ENVIRONMENT, DECIDEDLY MODERN LINES. SINCE HIS
DEBUT, THE MULTIPLE AWARD WINNER, ARCHITECT OF
These days, the boundary between artist THE JAPANESE NATIONAL STADIUM IN TOKYO FOR THE
and architect is becoming blurred. 2020 OLYMPICS, THE AIX-EN-PROVENCE CONSERVATORY
AND THE HARUKI MURAKAMI LIBRARY IN TOKYO, HAS
BASED HIS PRACTICES ON NOBLE PRINCIPLES.

Albert Kahn Museum, France V&A at Dundee, Scotland
20 21

Your career as an architect has been long-lasting. With the What are you working on today?
benefit of hindsight, how do you view your early works?
K. K.: I have numerous ongoing projects, but I cannot go into
Kengo Kuma: I started my career in Japan, during the so-called detail. The most important thing for me at the moment, though,
"economic bubble". A couple of my early projects caused a stir is to decentralize my Tokyo o ce. I'm sending my team all over
and drew attention; and they helped me surprise my predecessors. Japan to set up branches. I'd like each offshoot to take root in its
In a way, they allowed me to become an accomplished architect region and forge close local relations. I think that's the best way
quite early on. to survive in the post-Covid world.
Your career has been dotted with prizes and awards. Was KKAA was the architect for the Albert Kahn Museum which
recognition from your peers and the public a goal in your career? recently reopened in the Paris suburbs. How does your work
respond to the dreams of this special man who wanted to archive
K. K.: Until recently in Japan, architecture was a discreet
the beautiful things of this world?
profession and architects' names were never mentioned in the
media. Unlike in Europe, where architects have a public face, it K. K.: One of the most beautiful things that Albert Kahn left
Albert Kahn Museum, France
was not a socially recognized or appreciated profession in Japan. us is his collection of gardens. Not just Japanese gardens, but
Wooden Haze, Singapore
With that in mind, winning awards and being placed in the media those representing other countries, too. He was very aware of
spotlight drew the Japanese public's attention to architects as a the cultural specificities of each and spent a great deal of time
whole. and effort to bring them to life authentically in the grounds of his
museum. I really identify with this approach in that I truly believe
Do you consider yourself an artist ?
Kengo Kuma is one of the best-known Japanese
that a garden, or a landscape, has much deeper meaning than
architects of the modern era. For almost fifty years,
K. K.: These days, the boundaries between artist and architect architecture. I hope that my contribution to the reopening of the
his vast projects have spread across the globe. And
are blurred. Some artists are now presenting works on a similar Albert Kahn Museum reflects the deep respect that I have for the
France is one of his favorite stomping grounds.
level as architecture. And architects, like me, are trying to design man himself.
Named among the top 100 most influential people
buildings which express a philosophy or which suggest a new way
of 2021 by the prestigious Time magazine, he
of living to the public. So, I'm a bit of both.
maintains a unique, humble and constant view of
his profession and his career.