Japanese Architecture as a Collaborative Process

Description

Architects throughout the world hold Japan's best architecture in high regard, considering the country's buildings among the world's most carefully crafted and innovative. While many books, magazines, and exhibitions have focused on the results of architectural practice in Japan, this book is the first to explain the reasons for Japan's remarkable structures. Architecture does not occur in isolation; Japan's architects are able to collaborate with a wide variety of people from professional consultants to constructors.

Dana Buntrock discusses architecture as a part of the construction community, moving from historical precedents that predate the emergence of the architectural profession in Japan through to contemporary practices.

Reviews

'One of its greatest strengths and most distinctive features is its inclusion of personal anecdotes. As much a discussion of management techniques as architectural processes, the collaborative working model described in this book cannot be imitated outside Japan. But it can be a source of inspiration to those involved in the construction process.' - Architectural Record

Contents

Introduction. Historical Precedents. Education and the Professions. Architecture Practice Today. The Roots of Collaborative Practice. General Contractors: Collaborators and Competition. Subcontracting and other Corporate Alliances. Two Paths to Customization. Avant-Garde Architecture in the Public Realm. Legal Issues. Conclusion.

Author Bio

Dana Buntrock is an assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

Related Subjects

1. Theory of Architecture
2. Architectural History
3. Japanese Culture & Society
4. Architecture