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Parallel Nippon : Contemporary Japanese Architecture 1996-2006
The Hellenic Institute of Architecture and Japanese Embassy in collaboration with the Benaki Museum (Athens) host from June 1st untill July 31st 2011 in the Benaki Museum Pireos Street building the exhibition "Parallel Nippon : Contemporary Japanese Architecture 1996-2006". The exhibition depicts the evolution of contemporary architecture in Japan through four major themes: City, Life, Culture and Home.
The chapter on city refers to the entirely different conditions that exist in mega-cities, such as Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, on the one hand, and the provinces, in the other. Contemporary Japanese metropolises don’t have at their disposal either the structural clarity of a European city, or the strict geometrical layout of an American city.
The chapter on life refers to architecture that concerns educational institutions, sporting venues, hospitals and old-people’s homes. Over the past few years, the design of public buildings in Japan reflects changes characteristic of that society (falling birth rate, specialised university departments, need for places of worship of varying religious, given the migration of population from Asia).
The chapter on culture includes with works that are interesting for environmental, information technology and artistic reasons.
The chapter on home refers to the 120 million Japanese, who inhabit only one third of the total surface area of the country. The general system of organising the road and traffic systems of large cities, such as Tokyo, the way in which many regions are mapped out and configured reveal an unceasing continuation with the past. A large part of the current urban structure is derived from that of the older city/fortress dating from the Edo period. Contemporary metropolises that function, are built and located along plans laid out in the feudal era.
Visit the Benaki museum website (link above) for the exhibition opening hours.
