TOYO ITO INTERVIEW Japanese architect Toyo Ito is credited with influencing a generation of younger architects with his ideas about contemporary urban forms. While presenting some of his recent work at an exhibition at the Tokyo Opera City Gallery in 2006, he spoke with journalist Colin Liddell about his designs, his theories, and their origin. — Editor Colin Liddell: In all your buildings, you seem to be trying to get away from straight lines. Do you hate straight lines? — Published 2007.0110
	POSTCARD FROM NARA Dear ArchitectureWeek, The city of Nara, Japan, brims with landmark buildings from the Nara period (710-784 A.D.), when it was the capital. A particularly striking one is Tōdai-ji, the Great East Temple, founded in the mid-eighth century to house Daibutsu, the Great Buddha statue. — Published 2006.1011
	BAN TALKS TO STUDENTS As a noted architectural experimenter, Japanese architect Shigeru Ban was a natural choice as keynote speaker to open the student-run HOPES (Holistic Options for Planet Earth Sustainability) conference for 2006 in April. Now in its 12th year, the conference weaves together a mix of architectural scholars, practitioners, and students to promote a deeper understanding of sustainable design issues. — Published 2006.0510
	SERENITY ON A BUDGET A "not-so-big" house is not necessarily an inexpensive house. But if you keep the size of the house small and stick with common materials, basic construction methods, and simple details, you can indeed build or remodel on a limited budget. — Published 2006.0412
	HOUSE BY UNIT A Nestled on the edge of a town in southwest Germany is the Fleischmann House. Its owner, a photographer, craved open, visually quiet surroundings to counteract the visual bombardment of his profession. One-third studio, two-thirds open-plan dwelling, the house is a sustainable abode flavored by Japanese tradition. The building plan is rectangular. Maki Kuwayama, of unit a architects, describes both the exterior architecture and interior design as "simple and clean... not so much a style as a lifestyle choice." — Published 2006.0222
	HOUSE OF PLASTIC The designs of Japanese architect Kengo Kuma critically engage the materiality of architecture in order to challenge its usual meanings, and in so doing, to thwart the emergence of architecture as an object. As he has shown in many of his projects, Kuma is determined to "dissolve" the materials that he uses, or to choose materials that are less substantial, stating, "If materials are thoroughly particlized, they are transient, like rainbows." — Published 2005.0914
	ICELANDIC CLARIFICATIONS Unlike most of Europe, Iceland has no stained-glass tradition dating back to the Middle Ages. Windows were imported until the 20th century. Against this backdrop, in April 2005, artists, curators, critics, and scholars from 14 countries gathered at Kópavogur for Iceland 2005: Architectural Glass Conference. Hosted by the Kópavogur Art Museum, participants enjoyed a comprehensive overview of the extraordinary developments in architectural glass art since the 1950s and speculated about the future of the art form. — Published 2005.0622
	TADAO ANDO UIA GOLD MEDAL The International Union of Architects (UIA) has announced that the distinguished Japanese architect Tadao Ando will receive the UIA 2005 Gold Medal. This prestigious honor is awarded to living architects for contributions made throughout their careers in service to humanity, society, and the promotion of the art of architecture. — Published 2005.0608
	TWO INTERNATIONAL MASTERS In March, 2005, the world of architecture lost two 20th century masters: Ralph Erskine of the United Kingdom and Kenzo Tange of Japan. Each died at the age of 91 after a long and influential career. Tange is remembered for building Japan out of the ashes of World War II with structural dynamism. Erskine became well known for his humanist town planning in Britain and Sweden. — Published 2005.0413
	SHOPPING JAPANESE STYLE Despite dips in the economy over the past decade, Japan maintains a strong commitment to urban development. Retail construction appears to flourish. And unlike the boxy shopping centers that blight U.S. suburban and rural landscapes with their featureless design and sprawling parking lots, some recent Japanese developments set examples for combining dynamic design with urban sensibilities. — Published 2003.1112

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