Kuma

From his Great (Bamboo) Wall house to the Japan National Stadium for the 2020 Summer Olympics, Japanese architect Kengo Kuma pioneered sustainability in architecture, turning local craftsmanship into a new, tactile approach. Discover his oeuvre in this extensive monograph.

“This tome establishes once and for all that sustainability and style need not be set at odds.”

“… a celebration of Kuma’s approach to sustainable architecture.”

“Through descriptions, elevation drawings, sketches, and photographs, the architect’s signature texture seems to jump off the page.”

“For the past 30 years, I have been driven to create architecture by the desire to recover materials, and to reconnect people and physical things. It turned out to be the most enjoyable experience imaginable. This is because the world itself is material.”

“Explores all aspects of Kuma’s career – from 1988 all the way until today.”

“Details the architect’s humanistic approach to architecture.”

“A richly illustrated overview of Kuma’s oeuvre that delves into his complete archive of built landmarks across the globe.”

“…unfolds the mastery of Kengo Kuma’s architecture in its full glory.”

“Kuma’s unique and sustainable approach to contemporary architecture is celebrated.”

Kengo Kuma (born in Yokohama in 1954) attended the University of Tokyo and established Spatial Design Studio in 1979 after further studies at Columbia University, New York. In 1990, he founded Kengo Kuma & Associates. He is based in Tokyo and Paris, while he teaches at the Graduate School of Architecture at the University of Tokyo, where he also runs his own Laboratory, Kuma Lab. Philip Jodidio studied art history and economics at Harvard and edited Connaissance des Arts for over 20 years. His TASCHEN books include the Homes for Our Time series and monographs on numerous major architects, including Norman Foster, Tadao Ando, Renzo Piano, Jean Nouvel, and Zaha Hadid.