Tokyo vs Beijing pt 2

I like yoghurt. Eating it in Tokyo or Beijing is quite a different experience:

In tokyo one enters the omnipresent “conbini” open everyday, everyhour.

Then wonders inside in a storm of colour and lights. Goes to the “no-door” fridge and takes what he prefers.
At the counter the yoghurt ( one cup) will be placed in a plastic bag with the plastic spoon inside another plastic bag.
One can go out now but where to eat it? apparently beside construction workers nobody seems to eat in the streets so it is up to you to find a place hidden enough to eat your yoghurt. After eating one may want to go back to the conbini that is probably still the closest place where to find a trash bin.

Beijing: the shops, unless you are in the western like center might look like that.
The yoghurt is sold in a thick ceramic cup. With a grey green colour. A  foil seals the top.  There is one type, no choice.  After buying  one has to drink it with a strow . He cannot leave the area around the shop because the cup will be recicled.

one minute thought: addition vs subtraction

While waiting at the counter of Mitsubishi bank two images of Japan became extremely clear:
there is a Japan that uses subtraction as a main technique of composition. It erases, cancels, reduces, makes dense. That acts in one movement. That cuts with one hit. Think about traditional arts.
Then there a Japan that uses addition: addition of Alphabets (kanji+romaji+hiragana+katakana), of information ( as in any busy metro station), of functions. That takes decision after endless meeting, that overlaps streets…

the failure of architecture

The man is Jiang Guohua, the communist party leader of Mianzhu. He is begging to ask the people to stop protesting.

I saw this image from a Herald Tribute article, wha impressed me was the fact that a political man was asking in that way. A man of power which could have just sent some police man ( will he do it later?) is begging normal people. Probably very few things are stronger than an angry mother. Probably thay feel guilty because many public building did not resist. Architecture failed to fullfill its prime function:protection.

Architecture for the eye

A few days ago I saw a little book with a collection of picture of housing complex.
Today I read the interview by Ping Mag with the author Ken Oyama.

Without any doubt the work is visually appealing, joins a certain tendency that takes alook to daily “low culture” objects. Nothing that new.
What worries me is another aspect:
-isn’t it dangerous to look at architecture in such a visual way (read the article) ?

-after looking at a nice pattern do we still realize that that black square is a little window from which a not so well paid worker looks out?
-does this visual binge hide the fact that this building do mostly nothing to increase one’s living dignity?

Zelig Architecture vs StarArchitecture

“Leonard Zelig (played by Woody Allen), is a man who has the ability to change his appearance to that of the people who surround him. For example, if he is among doctors, he transforms into a doctor; if he is around overweight people, he quickly becomes heavy himself. Zelig is called the “human chameleon“.
(wikipedia)

The uniqueness of Mr. Zelig lays in observing,understanding and imitating the surrounding.
Contextual, respectful and smart, Zelig has a lot to  teach to today  Star Architects  who think they are able to  design  without knowing  context.

Il servo del principe

Libeskind è un abile affabulatore. Capace come pochi di assemblare stereotipi e simboli dandogli una forma accattivante. Libeskind è anche l’autore del nuovo progetto di ground zero a NY e dello storto il grattacielo a banana, scusate dalla curvatura ispirata da Leonardo comelui la definisce, nella ex zona fiera.
All’insaputa di molti ( troppi ?) pochi giorni fa ha presentato il nuovo Museo d’arte contemporanea di MIlano che si troverà all’interno di Speculandia nella zona ex-fiera.
Oltre alle osservazioni fatte da DOMUS ci sono un paio di quesiti che affiorano:
mr. Libeskind con il suo studio internazionale a NY,Milano, e chissà dove quanto ha veramente capito il genius loci di Milano? Perchè lui e i suoi amici StarArchitechts e i politici e gli speculatori che ci sono dietro non vogliono capire che Milano non è New York, nè Dubai, nè Tokyo?  Perchè essere sempre così servili verso il potere?
Mi permetto, senza pemesso di riportare l’articolo della DOMUS:

The awakening of critic

Finally an article rising some interesting question about the SANAA’s NY museum.

I am told I am not good with my country…

Sometimes a relative, a friend tells me that I have too much resentment towards my home country (Italy).
More I think and more I do not understand this statement.
Why should we support our home country? Did any choose it? Has anyone asked us to which country we wanted to belong to? Which passport to have? Were you asked when and where you preferred to be born?
I imagine the answer is no.  So why should one support  his country? Probably for the same reason most people choose  who to vote: to preserve their own interest.
I rather support things I have chosen and I believe in.

Farmers vs merchants

I do not know if one can claim that inductive reasoning is the best method but here a small example to understand China and Japan feelings towards foreigners.
Next month I am going to Beijing for to job interview. Therefore I have to get a japanese re-entry permit and a chinese touristic visa.

First step would be to go to the office: the chinese embassy is 500m away fro mthe office in a very central area of tokyo ( Roppongi), the tokyo immigration bureau is in a blade runner like building on an artificial dock in the middle of no man’s land. From the closest metro station is 15min by bus.

Second step is to understand what is needed to do the visa: in the chinese embassy I found an officer with perfect english, in the japanese immigration office ( i went there 4-5 times already) I never found somebody who could speak something close to english but they are always very kind.

Both offices have all is needed to have a visa in the building ( photo machine, stamps, photocopy….) which is something usually missing in italian offices where in order to get photo+photocopy+stamp one has to travel through the whole neighborhood.

As a conclusion: would it be correct to say that in their deep soul chinese are more merchants and japanese farmers?

Asian European GDP Cup

Heidegger vs Japan

While I am reading The ethical function of Architecture by Karsten Harries a quotation  grabs my attention :

An authentic person always has time.
Heidegger, Sein un Zeit, 7th ed. (Tuebingen: Niemeyer,19553) p.410.

sketches for a manifesto: neorealism architecture

It has been quite a while since this two words are wondering around my thoughts (neorealism, architecture):

1. Architecture is a site specific discipline.
1.1 Work with context in terms of composition, material resources.

2. Architecture is physical not conceptual.

3. Do not design luxurious building. Architecture must have a social commitment.

4. Architecture must serve people.

5: What happens between humans and space is the main focus not mere volume composition.

6. The design process is a participative process.

but why?

At universities and studios we are told for who to design, to concern about the target, the production methods, the budget, the time line,  the cultural back ground (sometimes) and so on…

I have yet not heard any interesting answer about why to design?
I do not mean the usual banal answer “to satisfy contemporary needs” which always forgets to understand that we create our own (tertiary needs) according to nature our needs are pretty simple.

Then if we look many designers/architects are concern with quantity.
( they want to build and to produce, does not matter that much for who, where and when)

Others are concern with fame: anything that makes them popular is good, it does not matter what as far as the project rises interest. ( design fairs are the peak of this approach).

Others are concerned with ego: especially architects have the small god desire. In this approach what matters is the development of a personal language and theory.

What we should be concerned about, improvement based on human standards and quality, is not really popular amongst designers. Because it does not sell.
Because to be publish one needs something catchy, possibly that involves a superficial influence from another discipline ( maths, philosophy, music…).

One last question remains. I read once an observation of Wittgenstein which stated: “one needs to be a good man in order to be a good philosopher”.

I wonder if we believed that in order to be a good architect one needs to be a good man,
how many (star)architects would remain above a level of decency?

A Tourist World

In Frankfurt an exhibition with many invited artists exploring one of the favorite activities of the letzte Mensch.

piccola riflessione da pausa pranzo

viaggio:
il tragitto, il percorso che si compie per portare oggetti da un posto all’altro
vacanza:
l’essere vacante, sospensione temporanea dell’attività negli uffici, nelle scuole, nelle assemblee per ragioni di riposo o per celebrare una ricorrenza.

Oggi non viaggia più nessuno.

Con-fusioni positive?

Dal sito di Odifreddi, si può vedere un dibattito sul ruolo della cultura organizzto dal neonato PD tenutosi a Venezia. Il barbuto Cacciari elogia la con-fusione tra laici e cattolici all’interno del partito dandone una lettura più che positiva.
Soprattutto visto dall’Asia, dove la religione fornisce soprattutto una serie di regole , di suggerimenti, di rituali per vivere (un giapponese facilmente si dichiara un pò buddista, shintoista ma con matrimonio cristiano), stupisce la continua con-fusione tra religione e politica. religione e morale, religione ed economia. Risulta difficile vederne gli aspetti positivi.
Ed ogni tanto amici stranieri mi chiedono: ” Il papa, con l’Italia che c’entra?” ed io non so bene cosa rispondere.

Polenta Vs Mochi

Ogni cucina ha più o meno la stessa struttura: cibi per insaporire e cibi per calmare la fame. Mi chiedono spesso se mangio molto riso. Se la domanda è posta da italiani bisogna rispondere: “Sì, ma qui il riso è come la pasta… però la pasta è un’altra cosa” ( con un tono leggermente nostalgico perchè non si può che ammettere l’inferiorità del cibo straniero).
Quindi la relazione pasta/riso sembra chiara ma la polenta?
Qual’è il corrispettivo giapponese della polenta?

La polenta è un cibo che solitamente non entusiasma gli stranieri perchè troppo legato ai ricordi  infantili. La sua bontà sta nei ricordi non nel gusto. La polenta è la madeleine del nord italia. Riempie ma dopo poco tempo sparisce dallo stomaco. La si mangia in tutti i modi con carne,pesce, salumi, formaggi ma il migliore rimane il più umile: polenta e latte. La polenta deve essere bollente, fatta in casa, con un soupcon di gusto di bruciato.
La polenta è educata (quando si riempie la pentola di acqua si stacca da sola),  esigente (quando non si mescola abbastanza brontola) e tiene sempre un basso profilo.
Non confondiamola con quella in busta, già pronta, già fatta, già saporita, idrorepellente, igienica, giallina, insipida, molliccia.

Ma come trovare una cosa del genere in Giappone?
Forse la cosa più simile sono i mochi (si pronuncia  moci) le tortine di riso.
Hanno molte cose in comune: non entusiasmano, si possono cucinare in mille modi, si gonfiano, devono essere mangiati con qualche condimento a meno che non si voglia essere invasi da una infinita mestizia.
Ma i mochi hanno una qualità che alla polenta manca: una volta cotti sono filanti, un pò appiccicosi così da poter essere utili in mille modi nel caso in cui non piacessero.
E quindi ancora una volta l’oriente mostra la sua coesione sia essa tra igranuli di un mochi o tra gli impiegati di un’azienda o tra i cittadini di una città

境界 kyoukai | la soglia | the threshold

One of the reason that brought me to Japan was the desire to confront myself with a different idea of space. After a few months my initial idea has been confirmed daily. It is becoming even more extreme reaching the point where I start to believe that talking about architecture/space in Jpan and Europe in many cases make no sense because we are talking about different things.

Now, Introducing the work of Niizeki Studio I would like to show one of the first element of diversity: the threshold between inside and outside. Most of the time there is no evidence of th inner function of the building.  This is one of the most confusing element when coming to Japan: not being able , visually, to recognize a bicycle shop and a soba restaurant. After a while one learns slowly the different language.
(the two picture above are houses).
Another example. A soba (japanese noodle) bar entrance:

Odaiba

Believe me,
that was a happy age,
before the days of architects,
before the days of builders.
Seneca

Odaiba (お台場, Odaiba^?) is a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay, Japan, across the Rainbow Bridge from central Tokyo. It was initially built for defensive purposes in the 1800s, dramatically expanded during the late 20th century as a seaport district, and has developed since the 1990s as a major commercial, residential and leisure area.

Odaiba is a massive work of engineering and architecture.
Odaiba is a collection of attractions.
Odaiba is crowded on week-end.
Odaiba has nothing belonging to human sensitivity.
I post some of the picture taken a month ago.

watch slide show.

the designer’s envies…

One or two years ago I read this nice book by the italian mathematician and writer Odifreddi
about what a mathematician envies about other arts. In this case he envies the writer’s pen, the painter’s brush and the musician’s wand (not sure about the word “wand”).
It could be interesting to see what are corresponding for the architect. In my opinion they might be:
- the lightness of words. Words give form to ideas in a quick and light way. No need to submit to the dictatorship of a heavy body (as for architecture)
- the omnipresence of sounds.
sounds are architectures. not only around us but inside us.
- the intimacy of food. again it has to do with introducing something inside us. touching it in a much more intimate way.
- the diverse glance of photography: many times photographer achieve what designers/architects want with the lightness of an image. no concrete,plastic,building, taking space…

vabbè la poesia, però…

Mi è stato inviato una parte di un articolo apparso su Repubblica in cui il musicista Cesare Picco parla del Giappone:
…”Del Giappone amo due cose per me importantissimo: il Silenzio e l’Odore. A Tokio…il silenzio ha un suono: E’ il suono di una presenza straniante, fatto di milioni di sorrisi accennati,piccoli inchini,portiere di taxi che si chiudono automaticamente. E’ il suono di una educazione millenaria in cui mi specchio e mi trovo bene. Nella centralissima piazza Shibuya Station, incrocio quotidiano per qualche milione di persone, puoi percepire il fruscio dei cappotti che si sfiorano. Eppure nessuno urla, nessuno suona il clacson. Se poi è una giornata di pioggia è perfetto, perchè puoi sentire le gocce che cadono sull’ombrello del vicino.

Definire Tokyo silenziosa è perlomeno un azzardo. Immagino che l’orecchio del musicista possa essere diverso ma Shibuya con i commessi dei negozi che pubblicizzano i prodotti (è vero non urlano, usano il megafono), con gli schermi di Hachiko square che trasmettono pubblicità a tutto volume, la musica che invade le strade uscendo da ogni negozio, tutto questo non mi sembra possa essere definito silenzioso.

Forse Picco intende un silenzio come isolamento, forse dovuto allo scarto di comprensione che si ha in un paese come il Giappone ( come mostra quel sopravalutato film “Lost in translation”).

Quando cammino per Tokio sono in un ideale status acustico che mi permette di sentire il mio battito pulsare insieme ad altri milioni, e visualizzarmi al contempo come il più solitario degli uomini.

L’Odore di Tokyo è la diretta conseguenza di una collettività gestita con rigore e trasparenza, è la conseguenza del suono del silenzio che ho appena descritto.

Puoi percepire di cosa sanno le strade, gli alberi e le persone, senza che nessun aroma abbia la prevalenza sugli altri. Se tutti portiamo nella nostra memoria gli odori della metro di Parigi o Londra, ciò che resta di quella di Tokyo è una scia indelebile, apparentemente neutra, risultato di un patchwork di milioni di anime simile al patchwork architettonico che vedi in superficie.

E’ vero che i giapponesi sono estremamente puliti, talvolta asettici, è vero che Tokyo rispetto a Seoul ha un’intensità olfattiva decisamente minore. Se dovessi esprimere la mia opinione direi che Tokyo è a volte un pò troppo asettica. Bisogna anche considerare che i mercati per le strade non esistono, la spazzatura salvo in estate non emana nessun odore, gli sfavillanti negozi di Aoyama o Ginza non lasciano nessuna traccia olfattiva. 

Puoi vivere l’urbanistica di Tokyo come un’accozzaglia di stili e interventi urbanistici messi a caso, a me piace ci sto bene è l’espressione di 30 milioni di singolarità, nessuna delle quali vuole primeggiare.

…Il Giappone è come quella persona che in tre minuti e mezzo ti ha capito e letto nel pensiero… il mio lavoro attrae perchè è costruito dando spazio al Silenzio, non solo al Suono: importantissimo per la loro cultura…

Mi sembra che in questo commento sia racchiuso l’errore che l’occidente fa nell’osservare il Giappone. Ciò che osserviamo viene di solito allineato su un asse interpretativo che ha due estremità che potremmo definire banalmente come “zen” e “futuristica”. Il Giappone è il silenzio dei templi oppure il caos acustico dei negozi di Pachinko. La penombra di alcuni interni o lo sfavillare dei neon.
Di solito le osservazioni tendono essere assolute, estreme e spesso risentono del terribile atteggiamento interpretativo dato dall’ esotismo.
Forse il Giappone, come poi ogni stato, ogni città ogni persona ha molteplici sfumature.

In Giappone non sono un prodotto italiano da esportazione…ai miei concerti non c’è mai un italiano e di tutt scrivono tranne del mio essere italiano. Perciò amo il iappone il mio Giappone.

Nel giugno scorso ero ospite della trasmissione A TASTE OF JAZZ in onda da quarant’anni, il regista mi ha guardato e con calma mi ha detto “in questo studio son passati tutti anche MIles Davis e tu sei il primo italiano ma per me… you are so japonese… come si fa a non sentirsi bene?

… Una volta sono entrato nel più grande negozio di dischi del quartiere Ginza in cui stavano diffondendo la mia musica ..la mi assistente giapponese mi ha informato che era il negozio del paese in cui vendevo di più. Bene ho detto … di lì a qualche minuto sono stato accolto da tutti i venditori in fila davanti alle casse con in mano il mio cd: aspettavano una mia stretta di mano e un autografo..io non ci sono abituato e quando sono là non ci dormo la notte, non è fuso orario, è l’adrenalina.

…Nel prossimo tour (fra poco più di un mese vacci) avrò la fortuna di far vibrare i legni di meravigliose sale da concerto,in quel gioiello di acustica che è la Hakuju Hall.

…anche in Giappone ci sono corruzione, mafia scandali ma a differenza di quest’Italia in cui non mi riconosco più, in Giappone le cose sono come le vedi, e tutto quello che deve funzionare funziona e basta. Sembra poco?…
Nel dicembre scorso un amico mi ha tradotto in diretta il discorso del Ministro giapponese dei Tasporti: si stava scusando con la popolazione perchè la rete nazionale aveva accumulato in tutto l’anno un ritardo complessivo di sette minuti. Di questo si scusava. E molto. Io voglio ministri così. Voglio il senso di responsabilità che l’Italia ha perso e che ho ritrovato in Giappone.

Come impressione generale mi sembra che Picco veda e senta quel che vuol vedere e sentire (o non sentire) che è un ottima cosa per un artista ma come osservatore forse un poco impreciso. E’ proprio questo il nodo principale da risolvere nel guardare il Giappone (oppure l’asia o qualsiasi cultura diversa dalla nostra): come  rimanere attaccati a ciò che è realmente? Come vedere ciò che è dinnazi a noi e non ciò che vogliamo vedere? Come non ridurre tutto all’interno dell’esotico? Ma forse questo oggi non ha più molta importanza perhè il mondo non è più la totalità dei fatti

about tokyo’s architecture

An interesting interview with Tsukamoto-san, one of the two partner forming Atelier Bow Wow. The studio in the last years published different books on Tokyo.
Reading through can give an idea of why Tokyo is so peculiar.

In praise of Shimo

An article from last year Herald Tribute about the new plan of Shimokitazawa which will make one of the most unique area of Tokyo look just like all the others.Nowadays, people like big streets, big shopping malls with many lights. Everything is visible, everything is  known. So let’s erase  a spontaneous place, the only place where everyday, every night there are people singing in the streets. I think one can easily feel that this happens because it is a free place, not a real estate developer project.
Not many seem to think this way. At least not those who have power, those who show a dazzling ignorance: so let’s all go to Roppongi!

Ahmadinejad=evil?

President Ahmadinejad gave a speech at the Columbia University.
A few consideration:
- I think one needs a certain courage to go and speak in the country that will probably bomb your own in a few months and speak in front of an audience totally against you: BRAVE.
-let’s remember one thing Ahmadinejad, whether you like it or not was elected.
 (19% first round and 61% in the ballot.  Bush with 51% in 2004 and in 2000… let’s not talk about it)
-once again the most aggressive country in the world ( counting the attack done on another sovereign state), the only country which has so far used the atomic bomb against civilian ( ok it was war time, ok to some extend it was needed a brutal act but there are different ways of achieving a goal) blame other countries for developing nuclear energy. so for proven to be only for pacific use.
From this we do not get to the conclusion that Ahmadinejad is a good politician and a symbol for democracy. Let’s just observe reality with a more precise look.

corbu

Last night i went to see Le Corbusier exhibition at Mori Museum.
Few remarks:
-Mori museum is open till 22.00, it was full. Enjoying the visit on the 53 floor at night after working is excellent.

-the full scale mockup of one flat from the Unite d’Habitacion was really interesting to visit

-exhibition design in japan seem to have a different role: so far the exhibition I have seen do not try to elaborate the material exhibited. For example Corbu exhibition design is done by Mori museum. The result consists in simply dividing the works in main groups, placing into the space and putting some spotlight on it. Nostalgic feeling for Castiglioni, Albini, Rota… Probably the rationalist western mind suits better to this type of activities.

-the exhibition consists in many paintings, some models, 1:1 scale of the petit cabanon(very long line queuing ), 1:1 of unite d’habitation flat, 1:1 of atelier (not so meaningful i would say), some models, pictures. For a general public is good. Maybe a bit more effort on the museology part would have been appreciated

-museum are always “ippai” (full)

-Roppongi Hills complex is really a non-place, if I was asked i would definitely say that it is the architecture of the letzte Mensch: pre-recorded voices, nobody around, impossible to get orientation, false smiles, tepidness, the air is not cold, is not warm, simply is not. There is no utopia, there is no cultural plan, there is no desire, there is nothing beside consumption. A boutique-prison for dreamless wealthy people. But please enjoy it.

-to be an architect you must be optimistic and believe in progress

-Tokyo at night, from the 53 floor, is elegant.

blue phenomenon

Public Blue is a documentary about the appropriations of public space.
Suddenly Japan does not look so healthy and efficient.
Look at the interview of the director.

Thank you Mr. Eliasson!

In a recent speech at NAI in Rotterdam, famous artist Olafur Eliasson said two things that I am really happy to hear from a person of his popularity and skill:

“This is so boring, but I dream that content will kill form.”

“A spatial practice about communal and social interaction, to sustain a kind of collective, with responsable criticality.”

Really happy two hear this for different reasons: in the surmodernité the abundance of things is almost unbearable. Second, due to the excessive density designers/architect/artist/managers will mostly be editor instead of creators. In applying this new modus operandi hopefully a new critical spirit will rise. Today it seems that finally some architect and designer are realizing that the true core of their work consists on human relation, not form. So let’s forget for a while the star system with its geometrical tribes (blob architects, squared, minimalists, etc…). As Eliasson reminds us is time to think about the why more than the how.

different dimension of behaviours

Last year it was famous for the Calciopoli scandal: different teams were found cheating trying to arrange matches by putting “pressure” on referees.
What is interesting about this is not the cheating part which happens in many countries and many sports (yes even in your!) but the italian relation with rules.
Somehow Italy is a country where the line between legal and illegal is very thin and blurred; a country where who is convicted guilty suddenly finds himself on the opposite side.

Why am I writing this? Because a few days ago:
“the Japan Sumo Association took the surprising step of suspending Mongolian grand champion Asashoryu from the next two grand sumo tournaments in September and November. This was to punish the yokozuna for playing in a soccer charity event in his home country after opting to sit out the summer regional tour starting Friday so he could be treated for waist and elbow injuries. ” ( from Asahi.com)

Sumo is a very interesting sport for many reasons: even if they weight a lot, sumo players do not look like a normal fat person of the same weight. They are agile, quick, elastic, there is an harmony in their bodies. Second: to be a sumo player one needs to be physically strong, technically skilled and behave in a proper way. Consider that a Yokozuna (the highest level a sumo player can reach) can be forced to retire because of misbehaviours.
Yes, sumo still values its ethical dimension.
Imagine this is football: giving the final score after taking into consideration the behaviors of each team. Interesting, ne?

what if Andrea Branzi was right?

Andrea Branzi is one of the Italian Design Maestro . More theoretical than practical, he continuosly surprises for his vision on contemporary time. Liquid, weak, widespread, fuzzy as others also define it (Vattimo, Baumann, etc..).
What is more surprising is that Andrea Branzi thinks as a biologist not as a designer.
Untill yesterday I did not realized how sharp a biologist mind is. Searching for Dynamic Visualization of Complex Data I soon realized that the one made by biologist were match more content oriented, beautifull and clear than the ones made by designer or engineers.
Cheer to the biologist.

billboards and public space

can you name all the brands? if you can something is wrong in you.

here an article about the right of commercial advertising in public space.

qui un intervento sugli stessi contenuti di beppe grillo

Sex Crime Vatican

Nel caso mamma Chiesa bloccasse il documentario della BBC.
E’ possibile vederlo su YouTube.

In case in Italy the Church would stop the broadcasting of this documentary, please take a look here.