Studio 33

Studio Japan 2020

Mitchell Eaton and Nancy Ji

This studio is available to students enrolled in ABPL90142 Studio C, ABPL90143 Studio D, and ABPL90115 Studio E.

Studio Description

The year 2020 is an exciting time for design in Japan’s capital. With the 2020 Summer Olympic games ahead, Tokyo is experiencing both a tourism and construction boom. However after the buzz of the Olympics has faded, what kind of architecture is really needed in response to pressing issues which include a decreasing and aging population? Studio Japan 2020 seeks to find fresh perspectives by not only examining the metropolis of Tokyo but also the countryside in rural Japan. Our theme looks to the concept of village, and how architecture plays an important role in place making and strengthening community bonds which were once present in traditional village communities but have become increasingly rare in the 21st century. By studying the countryside through a contemporary lens students will propose architectural responses for the urban context in the design of a mixed-use project in central Tokyo.

Studio Outcome

Studio Japan 2020 presents the opportunity to visit one of the most architecturally rich nations as we embark on a 10-day architecture study tour travelling to rural Japan and Tokyo. Students will stay in a small village in Shiga Prefecture to experience the local way of life, visit vernacular Japanese houses and learn traditional construction techniques through a hands on building workshop with the village carpenter. Time in Tokyo includes a design workshop collaborating with Japanese University students, visiting notable architectural projects, local offices and the site for the final project. Prior to the trip students will conduct research into Japanese architecture, history and culture through small design exercises. After the trip, students will develop their design project individually by proposing a mixed-use building that translates conceptual ideas into convincing architectural form. Emphasis will be put on presentation techniques to produce high quality drawings and models for publication and exhibition

Studio Leaders

Mitch Eaton obtained his Master of Architecture from the University of Melbourne and has been teaching master level Design Studios at the Melbourne School of Design since 2015. He is a registered architect having worked with award winning practices including McBride Charles Ryan and Buro. Mitch is currently a project architect at Buro where he works on a range of projects across the residential, commercial and educational sectors. He spent 2019 living in Tokyo where he deepened his understanding of Japanese Architecture and Urbanism.

Nancy Ji obtained her Master of Architecture from the University of Melbourne and TU Delft. She is a registered architect having worked for Bates Smart Architects in Melbourne and Kengo Kuma and Associates in Tokyo. Nancy is currently pursuing doctoral studies at Keio University in Tokyo on the Japanese Government Scholarship. Her current research studies contemporary Japanese Architecture and the role of socially engaged architecture in revitalizing rural communities in Japan. She has taught at the MSD since 2015 in Architectural History and Theory and Design Studios.

Readings & References

• Buntrock, D. (2010). Materials and meaning in contemporary Japanese architecture: tradition and today. New York: Routledge.
• Daniell, T. (2008). After the Crash: Architecture in Post-Bubble Japan. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.
• Morse, E. (2007). Japanese Homes and Their Surroundings. Singapore: Tuttle Publishing.
• Kaijima, M., Kuroda, J., & Tsukamoto, Y. (2001). Made in Tokyo. Tokyo: Kajima Shuppankai.
• Kitayama, K., Tsukamoto, Y., Nishizawa, R. (2010). Tokyo Metabolizing. Tokyo: TOTO Publishing.
• Seligmann, A. (2016). Japanese Modern Architecture 1920-2015 : Developments and Dialogues. Wiltshire: The Crowood Press.

Schedule Mondays 18:15-21:15 and Thursdays 18:15-21:15 in MSD Room 216

Travel Shiga and Tokyo Prefectures, Japan | 10-20 April | ~ $3,500*

*Cost estimate includes return flights to Japan, internal transport and 5 nights accommodation and meals in Tokyo. Cost may be reduced by student’s sourcing cheaper flights and sharing accommodation. The studio subsidizes remaining accommodation and meals for 5 days as part of the village stay.

==============================

Studio Japan is now accepting students.

Please email expressions of interest and any other enquires to Mitchell Eaton at mitchell.m.eaton@gmail.com

==============================

Contact Handbook Key Dates