SOU FUJIMOTO: Futures of the Future
The exhibition, composed of panels and small models, portrays part of the work of architect Sou Fujimoto one of the most inventive and acclaimed names in international architecture
Miniature figure among stacked potato chipsJAPAN HOUSE São Paulo
SOU FUJIMOTO: FUTURES OF THE FUTURE
The exhibition presents the ideas and execution process of Sou Fujimoto through past and current works, while also suggesting the potential of building toward the future
Born in Hokkaido and currently based in Tokyo, the architect values constant innovation so that people can live connected to the natural environment within the urban landscape. In doing so, he seeks to evoke the sensation of something both new and nostalgic.
Primary questions such as “What is the relationship between body and space, the inside and the outside, the natural and the artificial, the individual and the collective?” are always raised in pursuit of a new idea.
Architecture Is Everywhere
The theme Architecture Is Everywhere features 70 pieces that invite the public to experience and reflect on new possibilities of an “architecture to be discovered.”
In this context, even a simple bottle or matchbox is reimagined as an object with unimaginable architectural potential.
“If we place a human figure inside a common object, it instantly becomes architecture. Here, we have models that emerge from the unexpected and the intriguing,” states Sou Fujimoto.
Textured sponge with human figuresJAPAN HOUSE São Paulo
Futures of the Future
The Futures of the Future theme includes 50 pieces and 17 panels of both past and recent works by the architect. As visitors move through this space outlined by Fujimoto, they are encouraged to engage in diverse reflections and are provoked to think about the future of architecture.
“There is the possibility of discovery for everyone, and my proposal is that we create this future together,” says the architect.
In Fujimoto’s works, the absence of boundaries is a recurring element, as seen in one of his temporary pavilions installed in 2013 in the garden of the Serpentine Gallery in London. Nicknamed the “Cloud,” the translucent three-dimensional structure is built with white-painted steel tubes. It beautifully expresses the creation of something artificial that does not override the organic, instead interacting harmoniously with its surroundings—in this case, Kensington Gardens.
Circular model with vegetation and white pathsJAPAN HOUSE São Paulo
Fujimoto’s vision, which often draws from the characteristics of forests in his architectural designs, reveals ingenious ideas such as House NA: a vertical transparent house located in Tokyo with 73 square meters of glass surrounding its entire structure.
Expanding the potential of architecture through bold projects is a strong hallmark of Sou Fujimoto. The relationship between the environment and human beings appears in many details of his work. He is the architect behind the Musashino Art University Museum & Library in Tokyo, designed to establish a new relationship between books and users. The two-story building features a single spiraling bookshelf that occupies the entire 6,419 m² space.
Harmony Between Complexity and Simplicity
In addition to these sites, Sou Fujimoto’s works can be found in various parts of the world.
His unique architectural approach always integrates some aspect of nature, proposing a dialogue between complexity and simplicity. For him, the future demands a reconnection with nature
Press play and watch the making of this exhibition:
Japan House São Paulo
Av. Paulista, 52
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.