On April 29th 2010 the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (MOMAT) will present Where is architecture? Seven Installations by Japanese Architects. The show, which runs for 88 days until August 8th and will be the museums first definitive look at Japanese architecture and where it stands today.

To better understand the profound recognition that Japanese architecture has received from abroad, the curators have selected 7 architects to present new installations based on previous work. The show will then proceed to examine the logic, technique, and aesthetics that define Japanese architecture in an attempt to understand “where and in what form it arises.”

In order to draw audiences in and get them involved the museum has set up a special website, designed by  Takashi Kamada of spf design, which provides sneak-peaks into each architect’s work-in-progress. Below are screenshots of each.


Toyo Ito will present an installation using the same spatial structure he proposed for the Deichman Main Library Competition in Oslo, Norway. Although – earlier this month – a consortium of Norwegian architects were selected for the design, Ito’s use of 3 types of polyhedrons will undoubtedly create a dynamic space.

Ryoji Suzuki will unveil a large-scale model of a residence that is near completion. But the architect will take his model a step further by altering it using “dub.” Dub can refer to “an instrumental subgenre of reggae,” or “a separate genre of music that involves revisions of existing songs.” I am assuming both of these definitions will apply.


Hiroshi Naito will present an installation consisting of 200 red lasers. Enough said.


Atelier Bow Wow, inspired by the outdoor sculptures of Barbara Hepworth, will completely redesign the museum’s front lawn to function as a summer house.


Hiroshi Kikuchi’s installation will include motion-linked video that connects his space in the museum to previous work he has created.

Ryuji Nakamura – whose intricate work prompted him to solicit assistance via his website –  will create a large scale structure using his hechima concept.


Hideyuki Nakayama – a protégé of Toyo Ito – will present a reformatted version of “Door on the Prairie,” a proposal which he won to design a tea house in Hokkaido.