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Futuro Antico. Interview with Kengo Kuma
30 mag 2023
Marco Bassan
A creator of human-scale projects that integrate with the surrounding environment, and a key figure in the exhibition at Palazzo Franchetti in Venice during the 2023 Biennale, the Japanese architect finds in nature a key to looking toward the future.
What are your inspirational references in art?
I have been enormously inspired by various forms of art in traditional Japanese culture, particularly the art of tea and its masters. Not only did they establish the tea ceremony, but they also designed vessels and utensils, rooms, and even entire architectures to conduct tea ceremonies. They worked as creators for the art of tea, and I particularly admire Sen no Rikyu as a great tea master.
What is the project that best represents your identity? Can you tell us about its genesis?
The Great Bamboo Wall in Beijing, China, as I created a building that utilized natural materials while also respecting the site's topography.
What is the importance of Genius Loci in your work?
It is very important to understand that materials are tied to the topography where the building is located.
How important is the past for imagining and building the future?
One thing I can say with certainty about the past is that it is a treasure.
What advice would you give to a young person who wants to follow your path?
Travel and see new places.
In an era defined by post-truth, does the concept of the sacred still hold importance and power?
I am trying to restore the concept of the sacred.
How do you imagine the future? Can you give us three ideas that will guide the coming years?
Three projects where greenery plays a key role: revitalizing the area around Tokyo Tower to create a green space in the heart of Tokyo, completing the Saint-Denis Pleyel station in Paris by filling it with greenery, and restoring the Saint-Maurice d’Angers gallery site using natural elements. "Growing forest" is the key concept.