“Kotsugotsu” Philosophy of Kuma Kengo, Hommage to Kenzo Takada
The Kengo Kuma exhibition in Himeji was held in two periods, with the later exhibition paying tribute to Kenzo Takada, who was from Himeji and a friend of mine.
The Paris home of Kenzo-san, which we redesigned, was a truly magical place. When one opening the narrow street-facing door to the garden, a tunnel suddenly appears like a time portal. Beyond this tunnel lay a paradise bathed in sunlight on the southern seas, a Japanese garden with giant koi dancing, and an intimate, compact tea room hidden within.
By applying another form of magic through the use of wood in this house, we attempted to unearth the very roots of Kenzo-san’s essence. At the Himeji exhibition, this magical space was recreated using both scale models and full-size mock-ups.
Exhibition period: December 7, 2024– February 2, 2025
