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Kenzo Tange

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One Minute Architecture: Time Lines - Kenzo Tange:A new series on One Minute Architecture: Time Lines in which we look at the career of mainly Japanese architects. First up is Kenzo Tange (1913~2005)
During what I called Tange's Jomon period, he designed buildings in which the column and beam structure suggests a traditional Japanese wood construction although as can be seen in his Takamatsu City Hall building, it is unquestionably executed out of reinforced concrete. Tange wanted to build a building that looked like a traditional Japanese edifice with modern building techniques, as this allowed for structures that with traditional building technology, giving earthquake and fire restrictions, would not be possible in wood. The synthesis that Tange searched for was the use of a Japanese design approach but constructed with Western materials. Tange aimed to create a space using the functional and economical reinforced concrete methodologies of the West while aiming for a space that has the appearance of traditional Japanese wooden carpentry. In my opinion, in the end, it fails to transcend spatially into anything but a space dictated by a rationalist programme. For the design of the Metropolitan Governmental Offices completed in 1990 Tange completely gives up the idea of bringing anything remotely suggesting a traditional Japanese architectural language reference. Instead, he veers off following the global postmodern craze and suggests with his two towers a reference to the Notre Dame of Paris.
Other One Minute Architecture videos on Tange's work here:
St Marys Cathedral: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OljZGDCWkUY&t=19s
and my personal favourite:
Kuwait Embassy in Tokyo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwnuQ2PvluE
The Shizuoka Press and Broadcasting Centre in Ginza is featured here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsaCw6pbRqU
Thanks for watching, please like and subscribe.
Follow me in Twitter @martintokyo
my company: www.vanderarchitects.com
Thanks for watching, please like and subscribe.
Follow me in Twitter @martintokyo
my company: www.vanderarchitects.com

Kenzo Tange

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