is a Japanese

Japanese people

The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...

 architect

Architect

An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...

 known for designing many museum

Museum

A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...

s in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. Compared with his contemporaries, Kuryu started his career later than other famous Japanese architects.

Kuryu graduated from Waseda University

Waseda University

, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...

 and once worked with Maki, a very famous architect, at Maki & Associates and then became an associate lecturer in Maki Research Department at the University of Tokyo

University of Tokyo

, abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano. It is considered to be the most prestigious university...

. In 1987, he set up Akira Kuryu Architect & Associates. Since then, in such a short period, he has constantly worked out excellent projects, including a series of museum buildings, which are widely noticed by the public such as “Uemura Naomi memorial museum”(1994), Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims

Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims

The Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims is one of the National Memorial Halls in Nagasaki, Japan. Like its counterpart in Hiroshima, the hall was constructed as a place to remember and pray for those killed by the 1945 atomic bombing of Nagasaki.-Overview:Designed by...

 (2003)…He was awarded many prizes of great worth such as The Prize of Architectural Institute of Japan, Award of the Japan Art Academy, Kenneth F. Brown Asia Pacific Culture and Architecture Design Award. With these successful architectural designs, Akira Kuryu has gained a fairy high reputation in the field of architecture in Japan.

Biography

1973 Graduated — from Graduate School of Architectural Planning, Waseda University. Joined Maki& Architects.

1979 — Established K Atelier, urban architectural design office Assistant, Department of Architecture, University of Tokyo

1983 — Left University of Tokyo; became president of K Atelier Studied in Europe for a year as international trainee commissioned
by Agency of Cultural Affairs

1987 — Changed the company name to Kuryu&Architects; appointed representative director

1992 — Chiba University

Chiba University

is a national university in the city of Chiba, Japan. It offers Doctoral degrees in education as part of a coalition with Tokyo Gakugei University, Saitama University, and Yokohama National University.-Faculties:*Letters*Education*Law and Economics*Science...

Works

• Carnival Showcase 1988
• Uemura Naomi Memorial Museum 1994
• Patrie+Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts (K*MoPA) 1995
• Core Yamakuni (Amenity Town) 1996
• Okazaki Mindscape Museum 1996
• BYODOIN Museum HOSHOKAN: Temple Museum 2001
• Memorial Academium of Toin Gakuen 2001
• Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims 2004
• Shizuoka International Garden and Horticulture Exhibition+Hamanako Garden Park 2004

Sources

• http://www.kuryu.com
• http://www.nsknet.or.jp/westhill/designer/kuryu_profile1.htm
• http://www.archi.ta.chiba-u.jp/faculty_kuryu.htm