Togo Murano
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
architect
. He was a modernist but also a master of the sukiya style
. His work incorporated large public buildings as well as hotels and department stores and he has been recognised as one of Japan's Modern Masters.
Murano joined the Kansai office of Setsu Watanabe before opening his own office in Ōsaka
in 1929. He was the author of a number of publications including Be above style! in 1929 and The Economic Environment of Architecture in 1926. In his 1931 Looking While Moving he riled against Le Corbusier
and the Modern Movement
and declared that the skyscrapers of Manhattan
were the way forward. Unlike his contemporary, Antonin Raymond
, Murano courted simplicity in his work, concentrating on the high arts like tea ceremony
and conceptual elegance.
In addition to his works of architecture, Murano designed the first class lounge and dining rooms for the luxury cruise ships, Argentina Maru
and Brazil Maru, both launched in 1939. Both ships were sunk during World War II
. He also gained a reputation for designing large buildings such as hotels and department stores.
In 1973 Murano was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Waseda University. Docomomo
listed five of Murano's buildings in its selection of the 100 most important Japanese modernist buildings, they are described below. Japanese Design Magazine Casa Brutus named Murano one of Japan's Modern Masters in a recent special issue.
, Tokyo. The baked salt tiles on the façade give it a warmer presence to the street than would normally be expected for a building of its size. The regularly spaced windows sit flush to external face of the wall and this along with the curved corner and expressed eaves-line reduce visual clutter and give the building clean lines. In 1960 an eighth floor was added but this has not been detrimental to the overall appearance.
donated this building to the city of Ube in 1937 to commemorate its founder Yasaku Watanabe. The complex was designed around a fan shape with the backstage areas at the pinch point of the fan radiating in turn out to the stage, auditorium and entrance plaza. Six free-standing concrete finned columns (three to each side) frame the main entrance and represent each of the six affiliated companies who donated money for the building. Originally the tiles on the three concentric circles of the main façade had a salt-glazed finish in burnt carmine, but during restoration work in 1994 they were replaced with reductive fired tiles in burnt umber. The exposed concrete columns were also painted at that time.
explosion in 1945. A design competition
was launched in 1947 to find an architect for its replacement. A total of 177 designs were submitted from Japanese architects such as Kenzo Tange
and Kunio Maekawa
, but no overall winner was declared. Murano ended up doing the design although he was actually one of the jurors.
The cathedral is situated between Tange's Peace Memorial Park
and JR Hiroshima Station
. Although the rectilinear nature of the design has echoes of basilica
design, the post-and-beam
concrete frame with internal panels is reminiscent of traditional Japanese architecture as are the shapes of the windows penetrating the tower. The brick infills in this case were made from earth containing ashes from the atomic bomb. Architect Kenji Imai
designed the sculptures above the main door. Murano undertook a number of religious projects after this one and converted to Catholicism
later in life.
in a sukiya style. The site plan of Kasuien is laid out to enclose a garden and was inspired by Kyoto's Daigo-ji
. The annex is set out as a series of pavilions set within the sloped landscape and connected by enclosed walkways. Although the overtone of the design is one of the Sukiya tradition, ordered by the principles of the tea ceremony, Murano grafted onto this his own modern interpretation by the use of materials like steel and concrete as the primary structure. He used these materials to change otherwise traditional details making them slimmer and lighter.
designed in 1969 is situated in the Rokko Mountains
in Japan. It is home to about 90 sisters. The building is located on a sloped site in woodland and is planned around an elevated cloister
onto which the building elements face. Although it has been compared to Le Corbusier's La Tourette
it differs by having a much more intimate relationship with its natural surroundings and a lighter facade.
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...
. He was a modernist but also a master of the sukiya style
Sukiya-zukuri
is one type of Japanese residential architectural style. Suki means refined, well cultivated taste and delight in elegant pursuits and refers to enjoyment of the exquisitely performed tea ceremony....
. His work incorporated large public buildings as well as hotels and department stores and he has been recognised as one of Japan's Modern Masters.
Life
After graduating from Waseda UniversityWaseda 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...
Murano joined the Kansai office of Setsu Watanabe before opening his own office in Ōsaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
in 1929. He was the author of a number of publications including Be above style! in 1929 and The Economic Environment of Architecture in 1926. In his 1931 Looking While Moving he riled against Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
and the Modern Movement
International style (architecture)
The International style is a major architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, the formative decades of Modern architecture. The term originated from the name of a book by Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson, The International Style...
and declared that the skyscrapers of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
were the way forward. Unlike his contemporary, Antonin Raymond
Antonin Raymond
Antonin Raymond, or , born: was a Czech architect, who lived and worked in the USA and Japan...
, Murano courted simplicity in his work, concentrating on the high arts like tea ceremony
Japanese tea ceremony
The Japanese tea ceremony, also called the Way of Tea, is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea. In Japanese, it is called . The manner in which it is performed, or the art of its performance, is called...
and conceptual elegance.
In addition to his works of architecture, Murano designed the first class lounge and dining rooms for the luxury cruise ships, Argentina Maru
Japanese aircraft carrier Kaiyo
was a escort carrier operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II. The ship was originally built as the ocean liner Argentina Maru. She was purchased by the IJN on 9 December 1942, converted into an escort carrier, and renamed Kaiyo. The ship was primarily used as an aircraft transport,...
and Brazil Maru, both launched in 1939. Both ships were sunk during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He also gained a reputation for designing large buildings such as hotels and department stores.
In 1973 Murano was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Waseda University. Docomomo
Docomomo International
Docomomo International is a non-profit organization whose full title is International Working Party for Documentation and Conservation of Buildings, Sites and Neighborhoods of the Modern Movement.-History:Its foundation was inspired by the work of ICOMOS, the International Council on Monuments and...
listed five of Murano's buildings in its selection of the 100 most important Japanese modernist buildings, they are described below. Japanese Design Magazine Casa Brutus named Murano one of Japan's Modern Masters in a recent special issue.
Morigo Company Tokyo branch
This was Murano's debut work after he left Setsu Watanabe's office. Completed in 1931 the Morigo building was a seven storey office building situated in NihonbashiNihonbashi
, or Nihombashi, is a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan which grew up around the bridge of the same name which has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. The first wooden bridge was completed in 1603, and the current bridge made of stone dates from 1911...
, Tokyo. The baked salt tiles on the façade give it a warmer presence to the street than would normally be expected for a building of its size. The regularly spaced windows sit flush to external face of the wall and this along with the curved corner and expressed eaves-line reduce visual clutter and give the building clean lines. In 1960 an eighth floor was added but this has not been detrimental to the overall appearance.
Ube City Public Hall
To celebrate 40 years in industry, Ube IndustriesUbe Industries
is a Japanese chemical company.-Chemicals and plastics:*Caprolactam*Polyamide*Synthetic rubber*Ammonia*Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene*Polyethylene-Speciality chemicals and products:*Liquid electrolyte*Diol*dimethyl carbonate*Polyimide...
donated this building to the city of Ube in 1937 to commemorate its founder Yasaku Watanabe. The complex was designed around a fan shape with the backstage areas at the pinch point of the fan radiating in turn out to the stage, auditorium and entrance plaza. Six free-standing concrete finned columns (three to each side) frame the main entrance and represent each of the six affiliated companies who donated money for the building. Originally the tiles on the three concentric circles of the main façade had a salt-glazed finish in burnt carmine, but during restoration work in 1994 they were replaced with reductive fired tiles in burnt umber. The exposed concrete columns were also painted at that time.
Memorial Cathedral for World Peace
The original Catholic cathedral in this location was destroyed in the atomic bombAtomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
explosion in 1945. A design competition
Architectural design competition
An architectural design competition is a special type of competition in which an organization or government body that plans to build a new building asks for architects to submit a proposed design for a building. The winning design is usually chosen by an independent panel of design professionals...
was launched in 1947 to find an architect for its replacement. A total of 177 designs were submitted from Japanese architects such as Kenzo Tange
Kenzo Tange
was a Japanese architect, and winner of the 1987 Pritzker Prize for architecture. He was one of the most significant architects of the 20th century, combining traditional Japanese styles with modernism, and designed major buildings on five continents. Tange was also an influential protagonist of...
and Kunio Maekawa
Kunio Maekawa
was a Japanese architect.-Formative years:He entered First Tokyo Middle School in 1918, and then Tokyo Imperial University in 1925. After graduation in 1928, he travelled to France to apprentice with Le Corbusier. In 1930 he returned to Japan and worked with Antonin Raymond, and in 1935 established...
, but no overall winner was declared. Murano ended up doing the design although he was actually one of the jurors.
The cathedral is situated between Tange's Peace Memorial Park
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
is a memorial park in the center of Hiroshima, Japan. It is dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in the world to suffer a nuclear attack, and to the memories of the bomb's direct and indirect victims ....
and JR Hiroshima Station
Hiroshima Station
is a JR West railway station located in Minami-ku, Hiroshima, Japan. Hiroshima Station is the terminal station for several lines, and all Sanyō Shinkansen trains stop here.-History:...
. Although the rectilinear nature of the design has echoes of basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
design, the post-and-beam
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
concrete frame with internal panels is reminiscent of traditional Japanese architecture as are the shapes of the windows penetrating the tower. The brick infills in this case were made from earth containing ashes from the atomic bomb. Architect Kenji Imai
Kenji Imai
Kenji Imai was a Japanese architect and professor.-Life:Kenji Imai went to Waseda University in Tokyo and graduated with a degree in Architecture. He travelled to the USSR, Scandinavia, Italy and Spain in 1926...
designed the sculptures above the main door. Murano undertook a number of religious projects after this one and converted to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
later in life.
Kasuien, The Miyako Hotel
Murano designed this annex to the Miyako Hotel in KyotoKyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
in a sukiya style. The site plan of Kasuien is laid out to enclose a garden and was inspired by Kyoto's Daigo-ji
Daigo-ji
is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan. Its main devotion is Yakushi. Daigo, literally "ghee," is used figuratively to mean "crème de la crème" and is a metaphor of the most profound part of Buddhist thoughts.- History :...
. The annex is set out as a series of pavilions set within the sloped landscape and connected by enclosed walkways. Although the overtone of the design is one of the Sukiya tradition, ordered by the principles of the tea ceremony, Murano grafted onto this his own modern interpretation by the use of materials like steel and concrete as the primary structure. He used these materials to change otherwise traditional details making them slimmer and lighter.
Nishinomiya Trappist Monastery
The Nishinomiya Trappist MonasteryCistercian nuns
Cistercian nuns are female members of the Cistercian Order, a religious order belonging to the Roman Catholic branch of the Catholic Church.-History:...
designed in 1969 is situated in the Rokko Mountains
Mount Rokko
is a name of a group of mountains in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. This mountain is one of Hyōgo 50 mountains, Kinki 100 mountains, and also one of the 300 famous mountains in Japan.- Outline :...
in Japan. It is home to about 90 sisters. The building is located on a sloped site in woodland and is planned around an elevated cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
onto which the building elements face. Although it has been compared to Le Corbusier's La Tourette
Sainte Marie de La Tourette
Sainte Marie de La Tourette is a Dominican Order priory in a valley near Lyon, France designed by architects Le Corbusier and Iannis Xenakis and constructed between 1956 and 1960. Le Corbusier's design of the building began in May, 1953 with sketches drawn at Arbresle, France outlining the basic...
it differs by having a much more intimate relationship with its natural surroundings and a lighter facade.
Selected projects
- 1931 Morigo Company Tokyo branch
- 1933 Osaka Pantheon
- 1934 Nakayama House, Kobe
- 1935 Institute of German Civilisation
- 1937 Ube City Public Hal
- 1954 Memorial Cathedral for World Peace
- 1959 Kasuien, The Miyako Hotel
- 1969 Nishinomiya Trappist Monastery