Finished

Special Exhibition
Legendary Houses in Postwar Japan-Provocative / Introspective

2014.10.4(Sat) — 12.7(Sun)

Outline
Artwork
Information
Events

What do houses reflect and suggest about societal change? The Legendary Houses in Postwar Japan – Provocative / Introspective exhibition examines 16 now legendary houses and the concepts of the 16 architects who designed them during Japan’s postwar high-growth period, which ran from the 1950s to the 1970s.
Beginning with House (1953) by Kenzo Tange, who designed Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Peace Memorial Park, which came to symbolize Hiroshima after the war, architects have confronting a variety of issues related to “living” while exploring spatial expression, finding inspiration in traditional forms and meditating on the relationship between houses and urban communities.

In the 1960s, Kazuo Shinohara declared, “A house is a work of art.” As houses emerged that resembled impoverished spaces, people began to advocate the importance of residential architecture. After Expo ’70 in Osaka, Japanese architects began to emphasize interiors and explore innovative expressions by dividing planes and raising objections to conventional practices. Built on extremely small lots and under restricted conditions, Japanese houses have not always been blessed with ideal circumstances. Architecture from this era of modernization in which close attention was paid to houses in personal and human spaces provides us with a new perspective in reconsidering present-day living spaces.

Architects, Works
1：Kenzo Tange, House, 1953
2：Makoto Masuzawa, Residence for Mr.H. Planned by Center Core System, 1953
3：Kiyoshi Seike, Seike House, 1954
4：Arata Isozaki, Shinjuku White House, 1957
5：Kiyonori Kikutake, Sky House, 1958
6：Takamitsu Azuma, Tower House, 1966
7：Kazuo Shinohara, House in White, 1966
8：Kazunari Sakamoto, Machiya in Minase, 1970
9：Seiichi Shirai, Kohaku-an, 1970
10：Mayumi Miyawaki, Matsukawa Box, 1971/78
11：Kikoo Mozuna, Anti-dwelling Box, 1972
12：Kisho Kurokawa, Nakagin Capsule Tower Building, 1972
13：Hiroshi Hara, Hara House, 1974
14：Osamu Ishiyama, Gen-an, 1975
15：Toyo Ito, White U, 1976
16：Tadao Ando, Row House,Sumiyoshi, 1976

Information

Exhibition Period

2014.10.4(Sat) — 12.7(Sun)

Opening Hours

10:00–17:00

No admittance 30 minutes before closing

Closed

Mondays *unless Monday is a national holiday, in which case the museum will be closed on the next non-holiday.

Admission

Adults 1,030 (820) yen, University Students 720 (620) yen, High School Students and Seniors [65 and over] 510 (410) yen
*Price in parentheses is that of advance ticket and a group of 30 or more
*Free for children under Junior High School age
*Nov 3 (Culture Day): Free admission

Organized by

Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, The Yomiuri Shimbun, The Japan Association of Art Museums

Supported by

Hiroshima Prefecture, Hiroshima Municipal Board of Education, Hiroshima FM Broad Casting Co., Ltd., Onomichi FM Broad Casting Co., Ltd.