MOMA Exhibits a Generation of Japanese Architects Influenced by Toyo Ito and SANAA
Apr 25, 2016
If the world’s obsession with starchitecture and its stellar practitioners has blinded you to the nuance and subtleties of building design, seek out A Japanese Constellation: Toyo Ito, SANAA, and Beyond – a thought-provoking show focusing on the network of architects and designers that has developed around Pritzker Prize winners Toyo Ito and SANAA. This exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York until July 4, provides an overview of Ito’s career and his influence as a mentor to a new generation of Japanese architects. The exhibition presents recent works by internationally acclaimed designers, including Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa. Departing from one of Ito’s pivotal works, the Sendai Mediatheque of 2001, the 44 designs featured range from small houses to museums. The exhibition analyses the links between them, highlighting their impact. The show is intended as a reflection on the transmission of an architectural sensibility, and suggests an alternative model to the way the star system focuses on individuals. moma.org