Kengo Kuma and Associates
隈研吾建築都市設計事務所

   

Kuma Kengo

隈 研吾

Kengo Kuma © J.C. CarbonnePhoto © J.C. Carbonne

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Kengo Kuma was born in 1954. Before establishing Kengo Kuma & Associates in 1990, he received his Master’s Degree in Architecture from the University of Tokyo, where he is currently a University Professor and a Professor Emeritus. Having been inspired by Kenzo Tange’s Yoyogi National Gymnasium, built for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Kengo Kuma decided to pursue architecture at a young age, and later entered the Architecture program at the University of Tokyo, where he studied under Hiroshi Hara and Yoshichika Uchida. During his Graduate studies, he made a research trip across the Sahara, exploring various villages and settlements, observing a unique power and beauty. After his time as a Visiting Scholar at Columbia University in New York, he established his office in Tokyo. Since then, Kengo Kuma & Associates has designed architectural works in over twenty countries and received prestigious awards, including the Architectural Institute of Japan Award, the Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture Award (Finland), and the International Stone Architecture Award (Italy), among others. Kengo Kuma & Associates aims to design architecture which naturally merges with its cultural and environmental surroundings, proposing gentle, human scaled buildings. The office is constantly in search of new materials to replace concrete and steel, and seeks a new approach for architecture in a post-industrial society.

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Biography

1990
Established Kengo Kuma & Associates
1987
Established Spatial Design Studio
1979
Completed the Master Course, Department of Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
1954
Born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Teaching and Professorships

2020 – present
Special/Honorary Professor at University of Tokyo
2013 – present
Special/Honorary Professor at University of Tokyo
2009 – 2020
Professor at the Graduate School of Architecture, The University of Tokyo
2007 – 2008
Visiting Professor at the School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Chicago, USA)
2001 – 2009
Professor at the Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University
1998 – 1999
Professor at the Faculty of Environmental Information, Keio University
1994
Lecturer at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, Columbia University (New York, USA)
1985 – 1986
Visiting Scholar Graduate School, Columbia University and Asian Cultural Counci (USA)

Professional Affiliations

  • First class Architect in Japan
  • Architecte DESA (Diplôme de l’Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture)
  • Architecte inscrit au Tableau de l’Ordre des Architectes
  • International Fellow for Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
  • Honorary Fellow for The American Institute of Architects (AIA)
  • Received a Ph.D from Keio University
  • Received a honorary doctorate from Feng-Chia University(Taiwan)

Main Literary Works

2020
Hito no Sumika (Shelters for People) (Shinchosha)
Point and Line to Plane (Iwanami Shoten)
2017
Basho Genron II (Place Principles II) (Ichigawa Shuppan)
2015
SMALL ARCHITECTURE / NATURAL ARCHITECTURE (AA Publication)
2014
Boku no Basho (My Place) (Daiwashobo)
2013
Chisana Kenchiku (Iwanami shoten)
Kenchikuka, Hashiru (Shincho-sha)
2012
Taidanshu Tsunagu Kenchiku (Iwanami shoten)
Nihonjin wa dou sumaubekika? (co-authored with Takeshi Yorou / Nikkei BP)
Basho genron (Ichigaya publishing)
2011
Shin Mura-ron Tokyo (co-authored with Yumi Kiyono / Syuei sha shinsho)
2010
Kyokai (Tanko sha)
Santei Shugi (co-authored with Atsushi Miura / NTT)
2008
The Origins of Materials (Graphic sha)
Shizen na Kenchiku (Iwanami sinsho)
Shin Toshi-ron Tokyo (co-authored with Yumi Kiyono / Syuei sha shinsho)
Studies in Organic (TOTO)
2007
Kengo Kuma : Lecture and Dialogue (INAX)
2004
Kengo Kuma Tokuhon II – 2004 (GA)
Makeru Kenchiku (Iwanami shoten)
2000
Anti-Object (Chikuma shobou)
1999
Kengo Kuma Tokuhon – 1999 (GA)
1995
Kenchiku no Kiki wo Koete (TOTO)
1994
Kenchikuteki Yokubo no Shuen (Shinyou sha)
Shin-Kenchiku Nyumon (Chikuma shinsho)
1989
Good-Bye Postmodern －11 American Architects(Kajima publishing)
1986
Jutaku-ron (Chikuma Bunko)

Solo Exhibitions

2009
Studies in Organic (Tokyo, Japan)
2008
Material Immaterial (Chicago, USA)
Build Built (Beijing, China)
2005
Kengo Kuma, Mock-ups (Tokyo, Japan)
Kengo Kuma, The Architecture Between Tradition and Innovation (Siracusa/Milan/Napoli, Italy and Stockholm, Sweden)
KRUG×KUMA＝∞＜Infinity＞ (Tokyo, Japan)
2004
Niwa: Where the Particle response (Tokyo, Japan)
Kengo Kuma: Defeated Architecture (Tokyo, Japan)
1995
Velocity of Transmission (Tokyo, Japan)
1992
Tokyo columns (Tokyo, Japan)

Awards (for Kengo Kuma)

2019
Military Order of Savoy (Cavaliere di Gran Croce) (Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order)
Medal with Purple Ribbon 2018
John D. Rockefeller 3rd Award
2018
AIJ Education Award
2012
The 6th ASIAGRAPH Award
Japan Information-Cultuology Society Award
2011
The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize for “Yusuhara Wooden Bridge Museum”
2010
Mainichi Art Award for “Nezu Museum”
2009
Decoration Officier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (France)
2008
Energy Performance + Architecture Award (France)
Bois Magazine International Wood Architecture Award (France)
2002
Spirit of Nature Wood Architecture Award (Finland)
2001
Togo Murano Award for “Nakagawa-machi Bato Hiroshige Museum”
1997
Architectural Institute of Japan Award for “Noh Stage in the Forest”
First Place, AIA DuPONT Benedictus Award for “Water/Glass” (USA)

Awards (for Associates)

2017
Good Design Award for “Jyubako”
2016
15th Public Building Association Award 2016 for “Nagaoka City Hall Aore”
Good Design Award for “Takao Sanguchi Station”
ICONIC AWARDS 2016 Project of the year for “China Academy of Art’s Folk Art Museum”
The 1st Prize of the National Award of France for Wood Construction 2016 for “Mont-Blanc Base Camp”
2014
JIA Award for environmental architecture for “Teikyo University Elementary School”
Architectual Institute of Japan Prize for Design, Specific Contributions Division for “Nagaoka City Hall Aore”
Kanazawa Urban Structure Award for “Kids Academy Taiyogaoka Hoikuen”
Annual Architectural Design Commendation for “Teikyo University Elementary School”
14th Public Building Association Award for “Yusuhara Town Hall”
2013
Governor’s Prize for Ishikawa Good Landscape Award for “Kids Academy Taiyogaoka Hoikuen”
The Japan Society of Seismic Isolation Award for “Nagaoka City Hall Aore”
Barrier-Free Universal Design Promotion Award for “Nagaoka City Hall Aore”
Building Contractors Society Prize for “Teikyo University Elementary School”
2012
Good Design Award for “Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center”
Good Design Award for “Nagaoka City Hall Aore”
The 25th Nikkei New Office Award/ Encouragement Prize, Kanto Region for “Nagaoka City Hall Aore”
Good Lighting Award from The Illuminating Engineering Institute of Japan for “Nagaoka City Hall Aore”
The Japan Building Mechanical and Electrical Engineers Association Award for “Nagaoka City Hall Aore”
Building Contractors Society Prize for “Nagaoka City Hall Aore”
Restaurant & Bar Design Award for “Cafe Kureon”
Annual Architectural Design Commendation for “Shimonoseki-shi Kawatana Onsen Koryu Center, Kawatana no Mori”
2011
The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize for “Yusuhara Wooden Bridge Museum”
Building Contractors Society Prize for “Nezu Museum”
Building Contractors Society Prize for “Garden Terrace Nagasaki”
2010
Architectual Institute of Japan Kyusyu Branch Kyushu Prize for Design for “Garden Terrace Nagasaki”
Green GOOD DESIGN Award, The Chicago Athenaeum Museum and The European Design for Architecture and Art Design for “Yusuhara Town Hall”
2009
Conde Nast Traveler Magazine’s World Best New Hotels 2009 for “The Opposite House” (USA)
2008
Emirates Leaf Award for Public Building for Suntory Museum of Art (UK/UAE)
Design For Asia Award for “Fujiya Ryokan” (Hong Kong)
2007
Detail Prize 2007 special prize for ’Chokkura Plaza and Shelter” (Germany)
International Architecture Award for the Best New Global Design for “Chokkura Plaza and Shelter” (USA)
2005
The Marble Architecture Award 2005 East Asia External Facings 1st prize for “Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum” (Italy)
2001
International Stone Architecture Award for “Stone Museum” (Italy)
Building Contractors Society Prize for “Nakagawa-machi Bato Hiroshige Museum”
2000
Grand Prize, Inter Intra Space Design Selection for “Kitakami Canal Museum”
Director General of Forestry Agency Prize for “Nakagawa-machi Bato Hiroshige Museum”
Tochigi Prefecture Marronnier Architecture Award for “Stone Museum”
Tohoku Architecture Award for “River/Filter”
1999
Honorable Mention, Boston Society of Architecture, Unbuilt Architecture Design Award (USA)
1997
Grand Prize, Regional Design Award, Kochi Prefecture, for “Yusuhara Visitor’s Center”
1995
Grand Prize for JCD Design Award 1995 Cultural / Public Institutions for “Kiro-san Observatory”

Competition Prizes

2016
First Prize, The competition for “The H.C. Andersen’s House of Fairy Tales in Odense” (Odense, Denmark)
First Prize, The competition for “Moriyama city library” (Shiga, Japan)
First Prize, The competition for “Nihondaira observatory in Shizuoka prefecture” (Shizuoka, Japan)
2012
First Prize, The competition for “Susa International train station” (Susa valley, Turin, Italy )
First Prize, The competition for “EPFL-Espace et pavillions sur place Cosandey” (Lausanne,Switzerland)
First Prize, The proposal for “Tomioka City Hall” (Gunma, Japan)
First Prize, The proposal for “Iiyama Plaza” (Nagano, Japan)
2011
First Prize, The proposal for “the Towada city plaza for social communication” (Aomori, Japan)
First Prize, HIKARI, ILOT-P, Lyon Confluence Competition (Lyon, France)
2010
First Prize, V&A at Dundee Competition (Scotland, UK)
First Prize, Aix en Provence Conservatory of Music Competition (Aix en Province, France)
First Prize, Macdonald Public Facility Complex of General Education and Sports Competition (Paris, France)
2008
First Prize, Granada Performing Arts Center Architectural Competition (Granada, Spain)
First Prize, International Invited Architectural Competition for iconic park and mixed development in Iskandar Malaysia (Johor-Bahru, Malaysia)
First Prize, Asakusa Tourist Information Center Architectural Competition (Tokyo, Japan)
2007
First Prize, Fond Regional d’Art Contemporain Competition (Marseille, France)
First Prize, Besancon City of Arts and Culture Architectural Competition (Besancon, France)
First Prize, Architectural Competition for the Complex of Government Buildings related to the area of the “Eiffel Hall”－Western Railway Station of Budapest (Budapest, Hungary)
First Prize, Nagaoka City Hall Architectural Competition (Niigata, Japan)
2004
First Prize, Tobata C Block Urban Design Competition (Fukuoka, Japan)
First Prize, Utsunomiya Station East Plaza Urban Design Competition (Tochigi, Japan)
First Prize, Ondo-cho Learning Center Design Competition (Hiroshima, Japan)
2002
First Prize, (provisional title) Living National Treasure Museum in Ota City Preliminary Design Outsourcing Proposal (Gunma, Japan)
First Prize, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Exhibition Center Competition (Tokyo, Japan)
2001
First Prize, Nagasaki Prefecture New Museum Design Competition (Nihon Sekkei.inc + Kuma Kengo) (Nagasaki, Japan)
1998
First Prize, Nakagawa-machi Bato Hiroshige Museum Competition (Tochigi, Japan)
Photography by J.C.Carbonne