Exhibition of Japanese Contemporary Architecture: (In)Visible Process – Lisbon 2009

Exposición de Arquitectura Japonesa en Lisboa “(In) Visible Process”

In 2007, there was the first Triennial of Architecture in Lisbon, Portugal which aim was the reflexion, debate and spread of Architecture, from the building to the city and it’s territory. On this event there were several different perspectives of different countries including Japan. The Japanese architects and the artist where the responsible of defining and describing the contemporary reality of Tokyo. On the same year, it was held in Tokyo an exhibition about the Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza. This two events testify the growing cultural exchange between this two countries. The exhibition “(In)visible Process” is another example of the bond and the mutual interest between Japan and Portugal.

Context
In 2006, it was held an exhibition of Cotemporary Japanese Architecture called “Continuity versus Mutation”, that was part of Bucharest Biennial of Architecture program, curated by Yoshihide Kobanawa (member of Anywheredoor Archi expo). For this event, there were 20 Japanese architects invited in order to show different projects that made a reflection on the questions: What should we maintain in order to preserve History? What should we change in order to adapt ourselves to a near future?
This subject was premeditated, since the city of Bucharest finds itself in a speeding and growing development due to the influence of the European economy. From this vast and sensitive subject we transformed into a new exhibition adapted to a new reality, a social reality. The exhibition “(In)visible Process” it is organized by the South Region Council of “Ordem dos Arquitectos” and produced by Anywheredoor Archi Expo.

Theme
An exhibition that tries to show the process of architecture and it’s different intervenient of the Japanese cotemporary society. By presenting the different phases of an architecture project, it allows to understand how an idea becomes reality. On a typical architecture exhibition, you always just find the technical drawings, schemes and photographs of the project built. On “(In)visible Process” we pretend to focus on the strict relationship between architecture and the different elements that defines it (social, cultural, political and economical issues). How a project develops from an initial concept and shapes into something precise? For this we invited 10 Japanese architects from different generations so we could have a diverse group of proposals and solutions. The way each architect solves certain and determines questions on different projects, raises new and dynamic dialogue with it society. This event prompts a new reflexion on methods, strategies and new ideas that are applied in the different social problems of Japan and may serve as example to the Portuguese architectural reality.

PARTICIPATION ARCHITECTS AND PROJECTS
- Kengo Kuma
Projects : Chokkura plaza, Hoshakuji station and Chokkura Shelter shelter
- Jun Aoki
Project : SIA AOYAMA Building
- CAt / Kazuhiro Kojima + Kazuko Akamatsu
Project : Mihama Utase Elementary School
- Tetsuo Furuichi
Projects : Kita-Aizu Village Office
- Mount Fuji Architects Studio / Masahiro Haraada + Mao Harada
Project : The White Cross, Izu-san
- Kazuyasu Kochi
Project : Garden House
- Sou Fujimoto
Project : House N
- Jun Igarashi
Project : Rectangle of Light
- Hiroshi Sambuichi
Project : Inushima Art Project, Seirensho
- Kumiko Inui
Project : Apartment I
- Shunsuke Kurakata (architectural historian)
Text for panel and catalogue

ORGANIZATION
Organizer : Ordem dos Arquitectos Secção Regional Sul
Co-Organizer and Production : Anywhere Door Archi-Expo
Curator : Yoshihide Kobanawa / Anywhere Door Archi-Expo

Info
1 / 30 June 2009
at ORDEM DOS ARQUITECTOS SECÇÃO REGIONAL SUL
Travessa do Carvalho 23.1249-003 – Lisbon – Portugal
Tel. (+351) 213 241140
10:00 – 19:00 (Open Mon.-Fri.) – Free Entrance
www.anywheredoorarchi.com
www.oasrs.org