Project Japan features the work of more than one hundred artists and designers including contributions by five renowned architects. Prefaced by Tadao Ando, other participants include Fumihiko Maki and the late Kisho Kurokawa with contributions from Makoto Sei Watanabe and Kengo Kuma. Assembled in the aftermath of the Great Hanshin Earthquake, the Art Media in Context programme is based on first-hand experience. It catalogues buildings from the Edo period through to important projects heralding the new century. It celebrates a special time when artists in Japan regained their self-belief, rediscovering confidence in their own distinctive identity.

Project Japan examines an important period bridging the turn of the century and provides a unique snapshot of important projects in the immediate wake of Japan's extraordinary economic reconstruction. The book marks a significant peak period in the history of construction, which created considerable scope for design ingenuity and skilful application. A full-colour introduction to art in the context of architecture, Project Japan features the personal accounts of five internationally known architects. Included are buildings by such renowned contemporary architects as Toyo Ito, Shigeru Ban, Kazuyo Sejima and Yoshio Taniguchi with schemes by other leading architects and artists. Although the book's focus is primarily towards the end of the millennium, the historical context and the years of isolation during the Edo period have also been included. Traditional buildings, classical gardens and historic townscapes are presented as keys to understanding the current scene.

Peface by Tadao Ando

Foreword by Graham Cooper

Introduction:

Setting the Scene

One Hundred Years from

Restoration to Reconstruction

Mass Culture and Self Restraint - a Japanese Aesthetic

Urban Context - Ancient and

Modern Cheek by Jowl

Art in Context - an Outsider's View

Art and Architecture in Japan

The Catalogue

Historical Influences

Places of Ritual

Abode of Fancy

Edo Street Scene

Period of Transition

Building Refinement

Sanctuary and Recovery

Social Infrastructure

Signature Buildings and Regeneration

Art Media in Context

Gardens and Nature

Urban Redevelopment

Installation and Display

Personal Account

Guest Contributions

Fumihiko Maki

Kisho Kurokawa

Tadao Ando

Makoto Sei Watanabe

Kengo Kuma

Reviews

Nishijin Kyoto Internet Study

Akari - Out of the Shadows - Isamu Noguchi

Site of Reversible Destiny - Shusaku

Arakawa and Madeline Gin

Inside Out Installation - Tadashi Kawamata

Running Time Installation - Tatsuo Miyajima

Tojuso City Centre Living

Japan 2000: Architecture and

Design for the Japanese Public

The Farringdon Exchange

Tsukuda Island Tokyo

Appendix

References

Published Papers, Articles, Reviews

Bibliography

Cultural Milestones in Japan

Participant Biographies

Author Biography

Author's Statement

Acknowledgments

1 MinamataCastle, Kyushu

2 Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto

3 ItsukushimaShrine, Miyajima

4 Olympic Gymnasium | Kenzo Tange

5 Pumpkin Naoshima | Yayoi Kusama

6 MinamataShinkansen Station | Makoto Sei Watanabe

7 Shinkansen Express 700 Series

8 Chichu Art Museum | Tadao Ando