Initially inspired at a young age by the works of Japanese architect Kenzō Tange including his Yoyogi National Gymnasium constructed for the Tokyo Olympics in 1964, legendary architect Kengo Kuma, founder of Kengo Kuma & Associates, has been defying the odds and limits of design and engineering for decades with futuristic and multi-dimensional sculptural structures-gone-works of art throughout more than 20 countries. His new 298-page design tome, Topography: Kengo Kuma($75; The Images Publishing Group), showcases more than forty jaw-dropping projects from the V&A Dundee Museum in Scotland with curvy pre-cast stone panel planks, to a restaurant in Japan that resembles the pages of a real-life Dr. Seuss book with shaggy, wooly draped cables (made of recycled LAN) covering walls, pendant lamps, tables, and chairs.
Explore the pages of the acclaimed architect’s new book here including one of his latest projects, the Japan National Stadium, for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics on July 23rd.
Kuma’s new book, Topography: Kengo Kuma | Photo courtesy of The Images Publishing Group
Tetchan Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan with draped, recycled cables | Photo By Erieta Attali
Japan National Stadium | Photo courtesy of the Japan Sport Council
The V&A Dundee Museum in Scotland | Photo By Hufton Crow
Constructed of fir from nearby trees and a zinc-clad roof, the Wood/Pile project in Krun, Germany is used as a yoga and meditation house. | Photo courtesy of The Images Publishing Group
An abandoned ship-manufacturing building from 1972 in Shanghai (the last remaining factory in Lujiazui) was transformed into a new cultural complex with a theater and retail space. | Photo By Erieta Attali
Kuma & Associates’ Jenga-like SunnyHills project in Taiwan was inspired by a bamboo basket joint system, or “Jiigoku-Gumi.” It houses a specialty pineapple cake shop, a beloved dessert in Taiwan. | Photo By Daici Ano
The Xiangcheng Yangcheng Lake Tourist Transportation Center in China features a series of topographic structures with single-sized sections made of extruded aluminum materials. | Photo By Erieta Attali
Layered with thick oak planks, Mont-Blanc Base Camp in Les Houches, France, is the headquarters for Blue Ice, a company specializing in mountain gear and apparel. | Photo By Michel Denancé
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