MOUNT FUJI ARCHITECTS STUDIO . photos: © Yoko Inoue
I find myself interested in concept of “wandering.”
Architecture is indeed a representative of that which exists unambiguously with a clear logic and structure, and by no means should harbor any traces of “doubt or wonder.” Nevertheless, I feel that the fundamental inconvenience of sorts caused by this lack of doubtfulness has recently become increasingly noticeable.
For example, the dangers of large-scale architectural projects that continue to progress without a cloud of doubt amidst ever-changing circumstances, is now something that society recognizes to be a problem. It has also been pointed out from numerous perspectives that a solid and self-contained architectural system excludes the diversity of various cultures, as well as the unpredictable ways in which people of the future may engage with architecture.
I wish to reintroduce the concept of “doubt” in architecture. Designs are not self-contained when one plans with various doubts in their mind, and instead begin to open out onto the world. Since it is not self-contained, it enables those in the surroundings to become involved in this ring of doubt. Through sharing our doubts together, society comes to be reorganized based on individual’s thoughts and concerns. It would be wonderful if this were to happen…
Liam Gillick’s mammoth texts both serve to undermine and encourage us to think about social convictions (/blind acceptance), and are a so-called trigger for doubt. My intention was to incorporate architectural elements of “doubt” that would work together with this into the process and the output of the design.
To be specific, we prepared a frame using CLT, large pieces of laminated wood produced in Okayama, which are assembled in a square-grid formation. By stacking these frames in three layers while each shifting their position, what is conceived is a “space for wandering” that comprises a complex three-dimensional circulation network. I hope guests will be able to recall sensations of “wandering and being lost” that they may have not experienced for long since childhood, and embrace the various sensations of the worlds that come to emerge in such instances.
Masahiro Harada
MOUNT FUJI ARCHITECTS STUDIO
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