Kenzō Tange

Kenzō Tange (1913 – 2005) was a Japanese architect who was one of the leaders of the generation of “new architects”. Kenzo Tange’s work is deeply national, but the significance of his work is not limited to the national framework. Its architectural concept is based on the idea of total renewal of life by architecture. It is concerned with the importance of architecture as a means of organizing communication between people. The peculiarity of Tange’s contribution to the theory of architecture is associated primarily with a new interpretation of the problem of national traditions. he seeks to observe the dialectical method in the analysis of contemporary reality. The study of the problems of modern society leads Tange to the conclusion that it is necessary to understand architecture as an artificial environment adapted to reality that is dynamically changing.

Key creative ideas

1. The relationship of the fundamental foundations of modern architecture and national tradition.
2. In the work of Tange, the influence of Le Corbusier is tangible.
3. The path of Tange in architecture from a closed microcosm of an individual building to a macrocosm.
4. Tange proposed the idea of a “triple scale of scale”: the scale of a person, the scale of human masses (the movement and activity of groups of people correspond to the vastness of squares) and a superhuman scale – this is the scale of the city. This structural gradation of scale led to the transition from building to urban planning.
5. Contribution to the creation of the concept of architectural metabolism. Wishing to overcome the crisis of the then city, metabolism offers the principles of dynamic shift, organic growth of systems of settlement of architectural structures, combining long-term structures with short-term ones. Metabolists believed that with the proliferation of electronics, the line between private and public space was blurring. A new way of life is changing housing, which turns into a capsule filled with electronics. Public institutions are becoming communication hubs, and cities are spaces for new experiences. The main goal of the metabolic approach is to promote the dynamic development of society through urban planning.

The basic concepts of architectural metabolism are:

– metabolic generation – a gradual internal change in structure;

– continuous external movement – growth;

– sudden “metamorphic transformation” of functional connections;

In the metabolic understanding of development, there are three aspects that correspond to the main directions of urban planning:

1. Metamorphic transformation of radial-circular – with centripetal gravitation of the city structure, into “linear” or axial – into a structure that has a predominant direction of development; the compositional expression of the physical growth of the city finds expression in the transport system, which has developed like a “chain-spine” with “ribs” (the idea of ​​the Tokyo Bay project). Traditional two-dimensional zoning of the territory is replaced by three-dimensional – vertical zoning.
2. Metabolic generation, as opposed to metamorphic transformation, testifies to the evolutionary nature of changes in the internal structure. The viability of traditional Japanese architecture is explained by the fact that it is based on a flexible variant system that provides a variety of forms and functionality in the face of continuous changes in living standards.
3. Metabolic structure is seen as an artificial system, or – “second nature” that “implements external growth and encourages future development.” Taking into account the factor of time, this means “complete mastery of space” in four dimensions.

Six principles of Kenzo Tange’s architecture:

1. Simplicity of the plan and forms (as the optimal variant of the spatial composition for expressing the idea);
2. The needs of typification (as opposed to the so-called “naive functionalism” – the manifestation of essential architectural elements that are able to artistically interpret the presented function); an example of typing are their houses built by residents);
3. Expression by architectural means of feeling and impression of power and strength (due to the hypertrophy of details and the demonstration of huge concrete surfaces) and the creation of forms that meet the dynamism of modern life;
4. Ban on ornamentation;
5. Requirement of material truthfulness;
6. The requirement to avoid at all costs “false beauty” – self-deception in the interpretation of an image as the ability to achieve maximum diversity in conditions of strict self-restraint in the selection of means.

Main structures:

1. Peace Memorial Complex in Hiroshima, 1955.
2. Private house of Tange in the suburbs of Tokyo.
3. Children’s Library in Hiroshima, 1953.
4. Project of reconstruction of Tokyo “Tokyo Bay”, 1960.
5. Yoyogi Olympic Complex, 1964.
6. OUB Center, Singapore, 1986.
7. Fuji Television Building in Odaiba, Tokyo, 1996.
8. Prefectural building in Kagawa, Japan, 2000.
9. Press center in Shizuoka, 1971.