“The human invention par excellence.” This is how French sociologist Claude Lévi-Strauss described the city back in the first half of the 20th century. Although his idea can be seen as outdated by more recent narratives, one cannot deny that cities exist because of human action in the landscape. In that sense, Tokyo is perhaps the “most human” expression one can find, as its metropolitan population of 37 million people assures it the top spot among the world’s biggest cities.
A place where tradition meets modernity, and innovation seems to be an organic part of people’s lives, Japan’s capital city shows an intricate balance between historical sites, narrow alleys — called Yokocho —, modern skyscrapers, and innovative urban designs. A blend of millennia-old traditions and technological apparatuses; a place where the celebration of cherry trees flowering happens side by side with an oddly appealing cyberpunk atmosphere.
Architecture, of course, plays a significant role in this rather stereotypical image. Whether it's the ancient temples constructed from wood and repeatedly rebuilt over the centuries following the Shikinen Sengu tradition, the new buildings designed by world-renowned architects and raised with contemporary materials, the singular architectural expression of the Metabolism Movement of the mid-20th century, or the unexpected combination of all the above, Tokyo’s endless landscape has been profoundly marked by its architecture — and the designers behind it.
In this edition, we present a collection of different perspectives on Tokyo’s rich architecture, urbanism, and landscape design. In our first interactive supporter's map, powered by Felt, you can find 35 iconic buildings to visit in Japan’s capital city. This guide offers a comprehensive view of some of the most interesting architectural works built in the city during the 20th and 21st centuries. Additionally, find out more about some emerging practices based in Tokyo in our Building Selection, crafted by ArchDaily’s Senior Curator, Hana Abdel; get to know about designing Japanese landscapes to inspire peace and harmony in an interview with Sadafumi Uchiyama; and catch a ride with Ryue Nishizawa through the streets of the biggest city in the world in the movie Tokyo Ride, generously offered by Beka & Lemoine exclusively to our supporters.
Enjoy the journey!
Tokyo Architecture Guide
in collaboration with Felt.com
Tokyo Ride
By Beka & Lemoine
Watch Here! Exclusively for supporters until April 5th, 2024.
Project Selection
A tiny home that represents Tokyo, curation by Hana Abdel
C/steel Apartment / Yutarou Ohta
Following the above-described duality of Tokyo, if you would consider recent Japanese projects, they are just as characterized by complexity due to harsh geological and economic settings that push designers to focus on what they can in fact control: materials, details, technology, and crafts.
While these elements were always part of the traditional and once ephemeral Japanese architecture, in today’s dense city of Tokyo, new practices and designers have been applying them to new builds, but also to existing reused and renovated spaces.
In his own apartment, young architect Yutarou Otha applied himself to the challenge of crafting and personalizing a painfully small living environment. His home represents much of what is contemporary Japanese architecture, whereas the leading aim, no matter the style or program, is the utilization and optimization of limited space while responding to daily routine and needs. Additionally, the raw materials add much-needed warmth and natural touch in contrast to the bright and busy concrete jungle that is in Tokyo.