"We all have to change our way of thinking now. I want to change my architecture to be even more kind to nature," says Kengo Kuma in this Louisiana Channel interview, where he shares his thoughts on the pandemic's impact on architecture and the environment. The architect discusses the collective responsibility towards nature and the importance of designing buildings and cities that allow for and encourage outdoor activities.
Interviewed in May last year, the renowned Japanese architect briefly touches on how the pandemic has brought a new-found acknowledgement of climate change and the impact of human activity on the environment, with the current health crisis an extension of this strain on Earth's ecology. At the same time, Kuma outlines some new directions in the design of urban environments.
One of the most acclaimed contemporary Japanese architects, Kengo Kuma, is renowned for his careful consideration of context and materiality. Balancing academic work and practice, his work spans multiple areas and scales, from pavilions and installations to museums and stadiums. Kuma's most prominent work includes the Asakusa Culture Tourism Centre, the Cultural Village Japanese Garden in Portland, China Academy of Arts' Folk Art Museum or the V&A Design Museum in Dundee. His most recent designs, the Hans Christian Andersen Museum in Denmark, and the Waseda International House of Literature in Japan are set to open their doors later this year.
In a previously published part of this interview with Louisiana Channel, Kengo Kuma discusses his career, the influences that shaped his work, as well as the focal points of his architecture.
To see more architecture videos, check ArchDaily's full coverage of Louisiana Channel's series of interviews.
News Via Louisiana Channel.
