Thesis statement/Program

Thesis statement

Idiosyncrasy of Japanese Architecture:
Saving “Wabi-sabi” from the Western Influence

“Wabi-sabi” is the core concept of Japanese culture. It is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete; a beauty of things modest and humble; and a beauty of things unconventional. This idea comes from the idea of “Zen”, which is one of the products of Chinese mind through the medium of Buddhist teachings. It is also a profound philosophy, which present analysis and speculations. “Zen” was built up as Japanese culture through art. And this is when it entered internally into every phase of the cultural life of the people unlike China where it remained as a religious act. “Zen” was even affiliated with the spirit of Samurai, the military classes of Japan. Their swords were their soul. Swords became most intimately connected with the life of the samurai, and it became the symbol of loyalty and self-sacrifice.

Since the Western culture began influencing Japanese society after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the idea of “wabi-sabi” in Japanese society is gradually fading away. The island Japanese nationality, which is easily influenced by other cultures, has transformed the Japanese culture in rapid speed. Japan imported and flooded the country with western products such as radios, trolleys, airplanes, and more. Japan also started to waste electricity to light the cities excessively. Now the cold and bright white western papers are used instead of Japanese papers, which have warmth and absorb the light.

This disappearance of “wabi-sabi” is clearly reflected in the countries contemporary architecture. The beauty of Japanese room, which is a layering of dim half-light creating shadows and heavy shadows against light shadows, is flattened and overly lit by Western light bulbs. The authentic Japanese space, the toilet, has transformed into the Western idea of toilet, white tiled walls, bright lighting, and it became a space that is “unclean”. Even the air conditioning and heating disrupt the Japanese space. Thus the Japanese notion of the building as art has disappeared. In order to bring back the traditional beauty of Japanese space, can we turn off the electricity to make the space dark, remake the wooden toilets, and dispose of air conditioning and heating? The answer is “No”.

This begs the question, what kind of architecture will bring back the “wabi-sabi” within the Westernized contemporary Japanese society? How can “wabi-sabi” and Western culture coexist in order to let Japanese society rediscover the roots of the culture? These answers will lead Japanese architecture to enter into the new era “Zen” space, where the user will be able to escape from the chaos of the contemporary world and rediscover the long lost self.

Programs

- Place to promote self-meditation such as tearoom, which will lead to self-discovery and enlightenment

- Place for occupants to interact with nature and experience the seasons

- Place to meditate upon and appreciate the gift of food

- Place to prepare food

- Place to host and interact with guests

- A separate toilet to experience the true “Japan-ness quality” in Japanese architecture

The activities that occur in this Japanese space must be associated with “Zen” and “wabi-sabi”, and also be translated to be appropriate to the contemporary society. These spaces should reflect and provide the meaning of Japanese culture, which is seen in tea ceremony, archery, kendo, and calligraphy, to lead people to enlightenment. Users of the space will be able to escape from the chaos of the contemporary world and rediscover the long lost self.