| Architect: Sirai -- Anima et Persona |
click to enlarge(PDF：371KB) |
Following his graduation from the Design Department of Kyoto College of Technology (predecessor institution of Kyoto Institute of Technology), Sei-ichi Shirai (1905 - 1983) studied philosophy in Germany, under Karl Jaspers and encountered Gothic Architecture. After his return to Japan, he designed a home for his sister and brother-in-law, artist, Koh-ichiro Kondoh, in 1935. This inspired him to take up architecture as a career. After WWII, beginning with the Akinomiya-mura government office (1951) and other undertakings in Akita, northeastern Japan, where he was revered, he expanded the range of his work and developed a unique style. Following his conceptual drawing for Genbakudo (Temple Atomic Catastrophes,1955), his design of the main hall of Zenshoji Temple (1958) and other work、he won an award from the Architectural Institute of Japan for his Shinwa Bank Headquarters (1968) design. Throughout his half century as an architect, until his death in 1983, he played a meaningful role.
His works were few in number, but warm in their humanity, refined and exquisitely detailed. His wealth of knowledge, understanding of philosophy and experience in Europe all contributed to the definite sensibility of his materials. Rich in depth and shadow, his architectural works realized distinctive spaces.
Sei-ichi Shirai, long seen as a heretic in the world of modern Japanese architecture, is controversial even today. Through his work he continues to ask us to examine the fundamental reason for the existence of architecture. What kind of architect was this solitary thinker? What was he pursuing? This exhibition closes in on these questions, examining his architecture and ideology through his original design sketches, architectural plans, photographs, models and other materials. |
| Duration |
May 23 to August 11 |
Hours
Holidays |
10:00～17:00
（no admission after 16:30）
Sundays and national holidays |
| Admission |
Adults 200 yen
College Students 150 yen
Persons 18 and under Free |
| Inquiries |
Museum and Archives
Kyoto Institute of Technology
Ph.075-724-7924
E-mail：siryokan@kit.ac.jp
URL
http://www.cis.kit.ac.jp/~siryokan/main.html |
【Special Program】
■Symposium■
| Seiichi Shirai: Messages for a Contemporary World |
| Date/time |
July 2, 2 to 5:10 pm
（Doors open at 1:30） |
| Venue |
KIT, East Campus
Room E111, (1st floor) East Building No.1
click for Kyoto Map：松ヶ崎キャンパス
click for campus map：キャンパスマップ |
| Panelists |
Ikuma Shirai (architect and director of the Seiichi Shirai Research Center)
Iwao Matsuyama (critic, author)
Yasushi Horibe(architect, Kyoto Institute of Technology Graduate School
Professor)
Akira Yoneda (Kyoto Institute of Technology Graduate School, Associate
Professor） |
| Moderator |
Hiroshi Matsukuma (Kyoto Institute of Technology Museum and Archives Professor) |
| Capacity |
200 persons（first come, first served - no registration required） |
| Admission |
Free |
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