Japanese influence on architecture revealed - Ingenta Connect
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Impact Objectives
• Build up knowledge about architect Eileen Gray and artist Seizo Sugawara
• Use the data collected to make inferences about their backgrounds and
their design motivations
Japanese influence on
architecture revealed
Professor Hinako Kawakami has been studying the career of elusive architect Eileen Gray and the
Japanese influences on Gray’s work
What inspired you to Fukushima and Ehime prefectures, as well One unique aspect of Gray’s work is that her
explore Eileen Gray’s as France and Ireland, to interview some of designs allowed light and wind as well as
design techniques? the people involved. I have also looked up the human form and spirit to pass through
literature found in museums and libraries. I her buildings and create different spaces
By chance, I have used these various sources to build up by disassembling various components of
read a modern my knowledge about Gray and Sugawara and the architecture and furniture. I clarified
magazine featuring I have then used the data I have collected to that the four type diagrams drawn by Gray
Eileen Gray and I intuitively felt that her make inferences about their backgrounds show the design method of architecture and
designs were different from those of other and their motivations to flesh out a picture furniture, and where they correspond to and
modernist architects. When I first saw Gray’s about these two very fascinating people. what they mean in the house E.1027. I also
architecture myself in France, I felt very close found that these methods are not only for
to a Japanese tea room. This is because What have you noticed about Gray’s work four locations, but also for designing other
Gray’s architecture is ‘asymmetrical’ and with spaces? spaces and furniture. Furthermore, I made
many ‘blanks’ are found inside and outside it clear that the type diagram A, C, D is a
the architecture. I decided to focus my own Gray creates a mysterious space by looking at space design method, but it is also applied to
research on Gray’s architectural design both the lines and figures as a virtual image furniture design, and method B is a furniture
techniques. The Kyoto Institute of Technology reflected in the depths of the surface of the design method, but it is also applied to space
held two types of magazines, in 1929 and lacquer, and the lines and figures as a real design. It can be seen that Gray treated
1924, featuring Eileen Gray, and it was these image she drew on the surface when creating furniture and architecture equally, regardless
publications that were the springboard for a lacquered folding screen. I believe that of the difference in scale.
my interest in Gray’s career. Gray wanted to take out the space in reality
by disassembling the folding screen. In other We also clarified the real name and
How are you building on existing knowledge words, created 2D to 3D. I think that the background of Seizo Sugawara, her lacquer
in this field? disassembly of the lacquered folding screen work mentor. We discovered that Sugawara
led Grey to come up with four schematic himself learned sculpture from Takamura
We use information derived from drawings shown in L’Architecture Vivante as Koun at the Tokyo Academy of Fine Arts.
conversations with 20th century architects, a design method for architecture E.1027. By Both Sugawara and Kichizo Inagaki, who
designers and artists as well as scouring doing so, I thought that it would have been also studied at the Academy, collaborated
books, exhibitions, films and the Internet. possible to develop architecture from 2D to with Gray. Both of these illustrious craftsmen
We also directly look into any sources of 3D, and from 3D to higher dimensions. were also lacquer artists and sculptors and
information on Gray or Seizo Sugawara. had a significant influence on Gray’s later
I have travelled to various parts of Japan, Have you had any results that you are architectural designs. l
from Yamagata, Iwate and Tokyo to Niigata, particularly pleased with?
92 www.impact.pub
Exploring Gray areas
Little is known about the Japanese influences on the work of Designer-Architect Eileen Gray. A researcher
at Setsunan University is investigating the artists who taught Gray her trade
Eileen Gray was an Anglo-Irish architect essentially dividing the space and connecting much of a mystery until recently. Sugawara
and designer who lived between 1878 and it at the same time,’ comments Kawakami. and Gray met in Paris, where Gray had been
1976. A pioneer of the Modern Movement ‘Even furniture, such as folding screens, studying painting.
in architecture, she associated with many mirrors and desks, are partially folded and
famous artists. Professor Hinako Kawakami, disassembled to give them different functions UNLOCKING THE PAST
a researcher in the Department of Living and and shapes.’ Simply by folding parts of a Kawakami has unveiled some of the details
Environmental Design at Setsunan University, piece of furniture or a wall, Gray turned 2D of Sugawara’s life and career, including his
has been investigating Gray’s works and life. spaces into 3D spaces that suggest another training in lacquer work in the early 20th
dimension beyond 3D. ‘Gray was always century. During this time, Sugawara also
As an architecture student herself, Kawakami aware of the connection between space and learned sculpture techniques as well as
became fascinated by Gray’s designs while time and reflected this awareness in her spatial art concept, and the Book of Tea,
studying the subject, 35 years ago. ‘Through designs,’ highlights Kawakami. published by Kakuzo (Tenshin) Okakura, who
my research on Gray’s architecture, I realised founded the Tokyo Academy of Fine Arts and
that the connection between time, space and Gray’s unique approach focused on the invited Takamura, the teacher of Sugawara,
nature is very important in architecture,’ says importance of linking not only the design, to the same school, in 1906, may have
Kawakami. ‘Also, I think that Gray’s work is but also movement, line of sight and, introduced ideas such as the completion
not just due to the influence of Japanese art, critically, the human mind and body. It is the of an imaginative work without intentional
but it cannot be considered that there is no combination of these factors that completes design. Some important ideas were
influence.’ her furniture and architecture designs and, introduced in this book, says Kawakami. ‘The
indeed, the buildings she designed further term Sukiya (tea room) may signify the Abode
Kawakami has so far worked with Japanese changed with the movement of the wind and of Vacancy or the Abode of Unsymmetrical,’
TV stations as well as members of the public sunlight. It is these interlocking elements she points out. ‘It (tea room) is an Abode
and other academics in the course of her and how they factor into Gray’s designs that of Vacancy as it is devoid of ornamentation
research into Gray. ‘I have collaborated fascinate Kawakami. ‘I am very interested except for what may be placed in it to satisfy
with both off- and on-campus researchers, in the inclusion of blanks and voids in the some aesthetic need of the moment, and
particularly those specialising in architectural design, which are intended to be completed it is an Abode of the Unsymmetrical as it is
history, design, building environmental only when humans and nature are involved,’ consecrated to the worship of play for the
engineering, biotechnology and a Fuji TV she says. imagination to complete.’
producer,’ outlines Kawakami.
Gray’s background as an artist is reflected in Much about Sugawara was shrouded
A UNIQUE STYLE her designs and the influence of her mentors in mystery when Kawakami first came
Gray’s designs contrasted sharply from those is also evident in these works. Kawakami is across him 35 years ago. From 2000,
of other modern architects and the methods keen to explore how Japanese lacquer art some of Sugawara’s works and documents
she used to divide spaces within a building techniques and creative philosophy, learned were discovered by Kwakami. This was a
were highly innovative. ‘While other architects from Japanese artist Seizo Sugawara, played significant breakthrough for Kawakami and
build the space with square walls, Gray a role in many of Gray’s designs. Sugawara, in elucidating Gray’s relationship with this
disassembled parts of the wall and vacated it, and his relationship with Gray, has remained influential teacher, she has been able
www.impact.pub 93
to gain a great deal more insight into the LOOKING TO THE FUTURE in light of some discovered works and facts
concepts and processes behind Gray’s The flow of ideas between France and Japan by Sugawara and Inagaki. ‘I would like to
designs. in the early 20th century have been studied by uncover the reasons why modern French
many researchers in the past. However, these spatial artists wanted Sugawara and Inagaki
REAL-WORLD IMPACT focus on how Japan learned from, and was to collaborate,’ she observes.
This in-depth analysis of Gray’s work influenced by, French art. ‘There are very few
has shown that she certainly learned the studies that clarify the influence of Japanese Her next plans are the creation of
techniques of lacquer art and sculpture by art on French art, especially spatial art,’ a ‘photosynthetic architecture’ that
creating works with Sugawara and Inagaki, explains Kawakami. ‘Japanese artists such as produces oxygen and hydrogen energy
confirms Kawakami. ‘However, what she Sugawara may have acted as an intermediary by photosynthesis of waste plants. ‘As a
learned in the process of collaborating was to convey to Gray the fresh spatial aesthetics preliminary step, I created a ‘photosynthetic
not only the technique as a means of creating of Japanese art. My current assumption is screen’ with Matsuo which was inspired
works, but also the modelling concept and that the propagation may have passed on to by the Gray ‘brick screen’ and it was
spatial aesthetics that are deeper than that,’ other European artists, not just Gray.’ named ‘homage to Gray’,’ says Kawakami.
she explains. ‘I suspect that Gray created Her next step is to gradually expand the
something new by resonating the spatial It is Kawakami’s opinion that such exchanges ‘photosynthetic screen’ to windows, walls and
aesthetics of the Japanese tea room with of art will create ‘new things’ that cannot be roofs. l
other artists and art movements.’ achieved by political or economic exchanges.
‘In that respect, I think it is meaningful to
Kawakami’s work on Gray has proved helpful explore the exchanges surrounding Gray,’ she
in ‘Photosynthetic Architecture’, a joint notes. ‘It will be very important in various
Project Insights
research project with physicist Professor global international exchanges in the future.’ FUNDING
Yasumitsu Matsuo. ‘Gray emphasised the Fellow Japanese artist Kichizo Inagaki was • Japan Society for the Promotion of
link between the movement of sunlight another who worked with Gray and Auguste Science (JSPS), KAKENHI, Grant number
and human life in lacquer works, furniture Rodin and several of his works were included JP16K02287
made of new materials and architecture,’ in the Barnes Collection through gallerist Paul • Yashima Environment Technology
says Kawakami. The lessons learned from Guillaume. Both Inagaki and Sugawara were Foundation
Gray’s designs have shown that buildings can highly trained alumni of the Tokyo Academy
CONTACT DETAILS
help in generating energy and oxygen when of Fine Arts and were artistic giants in their Professor Hinako Kawakami
designed to work in conjunction with Nature own rights and yet have been recognised
and the spaces they occupy. ‘These concepts only as craftsmen in the West. Kawakami T: +81 72 800 1160
are incredibly apt given the growing global seeks to further explore their influences on E: kawakami@led.setsunan.ac.jp
issues affecting us.’ the art exchange between Japan and France W: https://www.setsunan.ac.jp/gakubu-in/
rikogaku/jukankyo/
W: https://www.setsunan.ac.jp/~led/
BIO
Professor Hinako Kawakami is based at the
Department of Living and Environmental
Design, Setsunan University. Her
interests include the history and design
of architecture, and the design of
‘photosynthetic architecture’. She has
researched key factors for essential space,
including the flow of time in architecture
based on her investigation of the history
of modernist architecture, especially the
works of Eileen Gray and Seizo Sugawara.
Kawakami received the Annual Paper
Award from the Japan Design Society
(2017).
‘Photosynthetic screen: homage to Gray’ produces oxygen and A clock driven by generated energy
hydrogen energy by photosynthesis of waste plants
94 www.impact.pub
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