Junzo Sakakura (坂倉 準三, Sakakura Junzō, 1901–1969) was a Japanese architect and former president of the Architectural Association of Japan.
Junzo Sakakura
Born
1901
Hashima, Gifu Prefecture
Died
1969
Nationality
Japanese
Alma mater
Tokyo Imperial University
Occupation
Architect
Awards
Former president of the Architectural Association of Japan
Buildings
Kamakura Museum of Modern Art
Iga city hall (1964)
After graduating from university he worked in Le Corbusier's atelier in Paris. He rose to the position of studio chief during his seven-year stay in the studio.
He formed his own practice on his return to Japan becoming an important member of the modernist movement. In 1959, he collaborated with Le Corbusier on the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo.
Almost coinciding with Kunio Maekawa's return from Paris,[3] in 1930 Sakakura journeyed to France to enter Le Corbusier's Atelier. He had left Japan at an opportune moment as the economy was in recession with a spiralling increase in political violence.[4]
At the behest of Le Corbusier, Sakakura enrolled on a course in architectural construction at college for six months before commencing his apprenticeship.[5] On a daily basis Corbusier would arrive at the atelier and speak with the job architects about the projects. He would sit with the students and do sketches of his thoughts.[6] As Sakakura became more trusted in the office he rose first to job architect and then chief of the studio. Students would come to him for advice when Corbusier was not about.[7]
Ongoing projects in the office that may have influenced Sakakura later in his career include the Villa Savoye[8] and the Swiss pavilion.[9]
Paris Exposition, 1937
In 1936 Kishida Hideto (1899–1966) a professor at Tokyo University was put in charge of organising a limited entry competition for the design of the Japanese Pavilion at the 1937 Paris Exposition. Although Kunio Maekawa's design was initially favoured it was eventually dismissed as being too modernist and Maeda Kenjiro's traditionalist design was chosen in its place. However, the French Government insisted that the design being completed with French materials and labour so this led to Sakakura receiving the commission as he had just returned to Japan (from Corbusier's office).[10]
Sakakura returned to France to supervise the project but unexpected site conditions forced him to change the design and he sought Le Corbusier's advice on this. The building comprised a grey walled box on a black piloti with a free formed plan and ramped access and was voted the "Grand Prix" of the Exposition.[11]
Coming from a literary background, Sakakura was in some ways hindered by the technological aspects of his aspirations. Although he locked himself away in a Parisian hotel to complete the work on the pavilion later in life he favoured the style of Corbusier's office, entrusting his plans to other architects in the practice.[12]
Notable buildings
The Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura, 1951
The Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura, 1951
Sakakura won a limited entry competition for the design of the Museum of Modern Art in the grounds of the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine in Kamakura. The building comprises a second storey white box containing the gallery spaces supported on thin steel red and green piloti. The ground floor storey that faces onto the lake is built with Oya Stone.[13]
International House of Japan, Tokyo, 1955
The International House of Japan, Tokyo, 1955
Sakakura collaborated with his friend Kunio Maekawa and Junzō Yoshimura on this cultural exchange building in Roppongi, Tokyo. It is primarily constructed of in-situ reinforced concrete, with the public areas of the building faced with Oya Stone. The building went on to win the annual design award from Nihon Kenchiku Gakkai.[14]
National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, 1959
National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, 1959, designed by Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier's only building in Japan is the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo. Le Corbusier's three Japanese apprentices: Kunio Maekawa, Junzo Sakakura and Takamasa Yoshizaka were responsible for executing the plans and supervising the construction.[15] The principle of using so-called local architects to implement his designs was so successful here that Le Corbusier insisted it should be done for the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts in Harvard.[16]
Institute of France-Japan (1951)
West Plaza of Shinjuku Station, Tokyo, 1967
One of the grandest urban design projects he undertook, this is a two-storey urban plaza incorporating the bus terminal. Two huge ramps at the centre allow taxi access from ground level down to Shinjuku Station's west exit.[17]
Legacy
Japanese Design Magazine Casa Brutus named him one of Japan's Modern Masters in a recent special issue.[18] The Kamakura Museum of Modern Art hosted a retrospective of Sakakura's work from May to September 2009.[19]
"Within the course of the Modern Architectural Movement, if Sakakura does not rank with the towering figures of Mies, Wright, and Le Corbusier, he is certainly on a par with such men as Finland's Alvar Aalto..."
Hamaguchi Ryuichi, December 1969 "In Grief - Over the Loss of Junzo Sakakura" Japan Architect
^April 2009, The Seven Modernist Masters, Casa Brutus No109
^"The Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura & Hayama". Moma.pref.kanagawa.jp. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
References
Spring 2005, "Do_co,mo.mo Japan: the 100 selection", The Japan Architect, No57
Reynolds, Jonathan M. (2001). Maekawa Kunio and the Emergence of Japanese Modernist Architecture. University of California Press. ISBN0-520-21495-1.
November 1966, Ryuichi Hamaguchi, "A Profile of Junzo Sakakura", Japan Architect
Altherr, Alfred (1968). Three Japanese Architects: Mayekawa, Tange, Sakakura. Verlag Arthur Niggli AG, Teufen.
Dodd, Jeremy & Hozumi, Nobuo Prof, May 1965, "Junzo Sakakura, Kunio Maekawa and Kenzo Tange", Architectural Design
Loach, Judi, January 1987, "Studio as laboratory", Architecture Review
April 2009, "The Seven Modernist Masters", Casa Brutus No109
Hamaguchi, Ryuichi, December 1969 "In Grief - On the Loss of Junzo Sakakura", Japan Architect
Sakakura Junzo, August 1959, "On the Opening of the National Museum of Western Art", Japan Architect
Curtis William & Sekler Eduard F., Le Corbusier at Work: The Genesis of the Carpenter Center for Visual Arts, Harvard University Press, (1978)
External links
Sakakura Associates
Kamakura Museum of Modern Art
National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo
August 19, 2023
junzo, sakakura, 坂倉, 準三, sakakura, junzō, 1901, 1969, japanese, architect, former, president, architectural, association, japan, born1901hashima, gifu, prefecturedied1969nationalityjapanesealma, matertokyo, imperial, universityoccupationarchitectawardsformer, . Junzo Sakakura 坂倉 準三 Sakakura Junzō 1901 1969 was a Japanese architect and former president of the Architectural Association of Japan Junzo SakakuraBorn1901Hashima Gifu PrefectureDied1969NationalityJapaneseAlma materTokyo Imperial UniversityOccupationArchitectAwardsFormer president of the Architectural Association of JapanBuildingsKamakura Museum of Modern ArtIga city hall 1964 After graduating from university he worked in Le Corbusier s atelier in Paris He rose to the position of studio chief during his seven year stay in the studio He formed his own practice on his return to Japan becoming an important member of the modernist movement In 1959 he collaborated with Le Corbusier on the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo Contents 1 Early life and formative years 1 1 Le Corbusier s Atelier 2 Paris Exposition 1937 3 Notable buildings 4 Legacy 5 Selected projects 6 Footnotes 7 References 8 External linksEarly life and formative years EditJunzo Sakakura was born in Hashima gun in Gifu Prefecture In 1923 he entered the Art History Department of Tokyo Imperial University 1 graduating in 1927 2 Le Corbusier s Atelier Edit Almost coinciding with Kunio Maekawa s return from Paris 3 in 1930 Sakakura journeyed to France to enter Le Corbusier s Atelier He had left Japan at an opportune moment as the economy was in recession with a spiralling increase in political violence 4 At the behest of Le Corbusier Sakakura enrolled on a course in architectural construction at college for six months before commencing his apprenticeship 5 On a daily basis Corbusier would arrive at the atelier and speak with the job architects about the projects He would sit with the students and do sketches of his thoughts 6 As Sakakura became more trusted in the office he rose first to job architect and then chief of the studio Students would come to him for advice when Corbusier was not about 7 Ongoing projects in the office that may have influenced Sakakura later in his career include the Villa Savoye 8 and the Swiss pavilion 9 Paris Exposition 1937 EditIn 1936 Kishida Hideto 1899 1966 a professor at Tokyo University was put in charge of organising a limited entry competition for the design of the Japanese Pavilion at the 1937 Paris Exposition Although Kunio Maekawa s design was initially favoured it was eventually dismissed as being too modernist and Maeda Kenjiro s traditionalist design was chosen in its place However the French Government insisted that the design being completed with French materials and labour so this led to Sakakura receiving the commission as he had just returned to Japan from Corbusier s office 10 Sakakura returned to France to supervise the project but unexpected site conditions forced him to change the design and he sought Le Corbusier s advice on this The building comprised a grey walled box on a black piloti with a free formed plan and ramped access and was voted the Grand Prix of the Exposition 11 Coming from a literary background Sakakura was in some ways hindered by the technological aspects of his aspirations Although he locked himself away in a Parisian hotel to complete the work on the pavilion later in life he favoured the style of Corbusier s office entrusting his plans to other architects in the practice 12 Notable buildings Edit The Museum of Modern Art Kamakura 1951The Museum of Modern Art Kamakura 1951Sakakura won a limited entry competition for the design of the Museum of Modern Art in the grounds of the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine in Kamakura The building comprises a second storey white box containing the gallery spaces supported on thin steel red and green piloti The ground floor storey that faces onto the lake is built with Oya Stone 13 International House of Japan Tokyo 1955The International House of Japan Tokyo 1955Sakakura collaborated with his friend Kunio Maekawa and Junzō Yoshimura on this cultural exchange building in Roppongi Tokyo It is primarily constructed of in situ reinforced concrete with the public areas of the building faced with Oya Stone The building went on to win the annual design award from Nihon Kenchiku Gakkai 14 National Museum of Western Art Tokyo 1959 National Museum of Western Art Tokyo 1959 designed by Le CorbusierLe Corbusier s only building in Japan is the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo Le Corbusier s three Japanese apprentices Kunio Maekawa Junzo Sakakura and Takamasa Yoshizaka were responsible for executing the plans and supervising the construction 15 The principle of using so called local architects to implement his designs was so successful here that Le Corbusier insisted it should be done for the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts in Harvard 16 Institute of France Japan 1951 West Plaza of Shinjuku Station Tokyo 1967One of the grandest urban design projects he undertook this is a two storey urban plaza incorporating the bus terminal Two huge ramps at the centre allow taxi access from ground level down to Shinjuku Station s west exit 17 Legacy EditJapanese Design Magazine Casa Brutus named him one of Japan s Modern Masters in a recent special issue 18 The Kamakura Museum of Modern Art hosted a retrospective of Sakakura s work from May to September 2009 19 Within the course of the Modern Architectural Movement if Sakakura does not rank with the towering figures of Mies Wright and Le Corbusier he is certainly on a par with such men as Finland s Alvar Aalto Hamaguchi Ryuichi December 1969 In Grief Over the Loss of Junzo Sakakura Japan ArchitectSelected projects Edit1937 Japanese Pavilion at the Paris Expo 1951 Kamakura Museum of Modern Art Kamakura 1955 International House of Japan Tokyo 1959 Hashima City Hall Gifu 1959 Silk Centre Yokohama 1962 Kure City Hall and Municipal Auditorium Kure 1964 Hiraoka City Hall Hiraoka 1966 West Plaza of Shinjuku Station and Underground Parking Lot TokyoFootnotes Edit 坂倉建築研究所 Sakakura co jp Archived from the original on 2012 03 01 Retrieved 2012 08 15 Altherr 1968 p113 Reynolds 2001 p72 Reynolds 2001 p74 Dodd amp Hozumi 1965 p222 Loach 1987 p74 Dodd amp Hozumi 1965 p222 Casa Brutus April 2009 p83 Timeline Fondation Le corbusier Fondation Le corbusier Archived from the original on 2007 04 27 Retrieved 2012 08 15 Reynolds 2001 p107 Dodd amp Hozumi 1965 p222 Hamaguchi 1969 p16 Japan Architect 2005 p68 Reynolds 2001 p173 Sakakura August 1959 p36 Sekler amp Curtis 1978 p46 Japan Architect 2005 p156 April 2009 The Seven Modernist Masters Casa Brutus No109 The Museum of Modern Art Kamakura amp Hayama Moma pref kanagawa jp Retrieved 2012 08 15 References EditSpring 2005 Do co mo mo Japan the 100 selection The Japan Architect No57 Reynolds Jonathan M 2001 Maekawa Kunio and the Emergence of Japanese Modernist Architecture University of California Press ISBN 0 520 21495 1 November 1966 Ryuichi Hamaguchi A Profile of Junzo Sakakura Japan Architect Altherr Alfred 1968 Three Japanese Architects Mayekawa Tange Sakakura Verlag Arthur Niggli AG Teufen Dodd Jeremy amp Hozumi Nobuo Prof May 1965 Junzo Sakakura Kunio Maekawa and Kenzo Tange Architectural Design Loach Judi January 1987 Studio as laboratory Architecture Review April 2009 The Seven Modernist Masters Casa Brutus No109 Hamaguchi Ryuichi December 1969 In Grief On the Loss of Junzo Sakakura Japan Architect Sakakura Junzo August 1959 On the Opening of the National Museum of Western Art Japan Architect Curtis William amp Sekler Eduard F Le Corbusier at Work The Genesis of the Carpenter Center for Visual Arts Harvard University Press 1978 External links EditSakakura Associates Kamakura Museum of Modern Art National Museum of Western Art Tokyo Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Junzo Sakakura amp oldid 1161724582, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
