The exhibition title, sharing the name of Atelier Bow-Wow famous 2001 guidebook, is not an accident: They realized that a lot of the hybrid buildings presented in the first Made in Tokyo were related to the 1964 Olympics. The exhibition explores transformations to the Japanese metropolis through six types of facilities: Stadiums, Stations, Retail, Offices, Capsules, and Homes.
“In the 1960s—15 years after the end of World War II, Japan grew with great productivity and enthusiasm, various urban institutions were created and young architects were allowed to creatively contribute to diverse architectural designs. Now, in contrast to those times, there is an incentive for large capital and organizations towards mass-redevelopment. Through this tremendous turnover of city spaces and transitions of urban institutions we will showcase the evolution of life in the city of Tokyo.”
Atelier Bow-Wow
Following a period of strong economic growth up to the 1970s, Japan's bubble economy of the 1980s greatly reduced property values. In the new century, the population ratio shifted to elderly-dominant, and the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake critically altered the population's sense of values for living. In response to these significant changes, how does architecture embody the city's transition? What role has architecture played in developing Tokyo? With Japanese architectural firm Atelier Bow-Wow taking on a double role as curator and exhibition designer, this exhibition explores the development of socio-architectural facilities and compares landscapes with art and performance generated from Tokyo between the two seminal worldwide games, in 1964 and 2020.
“Through architectural practice, we like to show the assumptions behind all institutional typologies of architecture. This really tells us how society has transformed within these 50 years.”
Yoshiharu Tsukamoto
This exhibition showcases a vast range of multimedia and interactive elements that explore Tokyo’s transformation, including a life-size capsule hotel pod model and a virtual tour of Tokyo’s characteristic architecture led by Atelier Bow-Wow. The exhibition design captures the international spirit of the Games that sparked the reinvigoration of Tokyo with flags lining the gallery ceilings. The curved walls, inspired by the ovular shape of athletic stadiums, create a partial separation between images of the past and present that also allows for contextualization through proximity and comparison.
The exhibition also features rare archival drawings and photographs from over 30 architectural firms and private and public collections—highlights include original 1960s drawings by Kenzo Tange from the Harvard University archive and a model of Kengo Kuma’s New National Stadium, which is currently under construction for the 2020 Games. This assemblage of rare photographs and works on paper from esteemed international collections provides visitors with a unique opportunity to experience these master works in the same place.
Post WWII Tokyo also saw the emergence of radical art collectives that generated art and performance with critical and deep insight into the socio-political condition. Groups such as the Hi Red Center used the urban environment as their canvas, staging happenings that raised questions about centralized authority and the role of the individual in society. Both historical and contemporary art works, video and documentations of such performances will be on display in the exhibition.
“Post-1946 recovery and the Tokyo 1964 Summer Games was the trigger that facilitated the improvement of Tokyo’s infrastructure and dramatically changed the landscape. Japan has produced innovative architects through the radical transformation of the capital. Tokyo is still changing in advance of the 2020 Games. Architects today respond differently to social issues and explore new directions with their creative visions of addressing ecology and sustainability.”
Yukie Kamiya, Director of Japan Society Gallery.
