Dialectical Analysis of Kengo Kuma's Architectural Philosophy and Practice
JIANG Han
KONG Yuhang
Abstract：China's modernization has largely neglected the inheritance and promotion of traditional construction methods and craftsmanship,thereby weakening the inherent link between design and construction.Consequently,contemporary spatial design often prioritizes formal expression over constructional logic and material properties.In contrast,Japanese architect Kengo Kuma integrates traditional architectural principles into modern contexts through his construction practice,forging a dialectical unity between spatial materiality and atmosphere.His approach offers an innovative model for adapting Japanese architectural tradition.Based on Kengo Kuma's thoughts and practices,this study analyzes Kuma's reconstruction of Japanese architectural culture,focusing on the dialectical relationship between the"visibility of construction methods"and the"invisibility of atmosphere."It seeks to uncover the operational logic behind the transformation of traditional principles.The findings provide valuable insights for the contemporary application of Chinese architectural tradition.
In this study,Kuma's built works were analyzed alongside his theoretical writings and architectural critiques,employing case study analysis,typological induction,and dialectical reasoning.By examining Kuma's ideas of"particlized"texture construction and"disappearing"atmospheric creation,the study focused on his construction practices-at structural,interface and detail levels-to explore the intrinsic relationship between explicit constructional operations and implicit atmospheric expressions.The results showed that Kuma extracted traditional elements rooted in specific eras or regions,condensing them into a unique constructional semantics of"particlization"through explicit expression of construction logic.Simultaneously,he utilized particle aggregation to realize implicit expression of life scenarios,natural qualities and traditional motifs,thereby imbuing spatial construction syntax with a profound understanding of Japanese tradition.Kuma explored construction's implicit meaning beyond explicit space by intertwining semantics and syntax.
The interrelationship between construction methods and atmosphere in Kuma's works manifests on three levels:(1)structural construction evokes the atmosphere of daily life by triggering spatial memory;(2)interface construction expresses natural atmosphere through porosity and permeability;and(3)detailed construction conveys traditional atmosphere through thematic logic.This process highlights a two-way feedback mechanism between atmosphere and construction form.Construction often plays a supportive and recessive role behind space and materials,serving as a medium for recreating life scenes,responding to natural attributes,and continuing cultural temperament.Simultaneously,the integration needs for natural elements,such as ocean views and light,further promote innovation in construction methods,leading to special techniques that align with natural aesthetics.Therefore,the explicit and implicit attributes in Kuma's thought and practice are interdependent,reflecting only a temporal distinction in traditional perception.The former evokes immediate perception through embodied visual experience,while the latter stimulates deep understanding of place through delayed response to hidden atmospheres.
For Chinese architecture,this dialectical logic of explicit and implicit suggests that the excavation of traditional elements must balance formal reconstruction and the continuation of atmosphere,thereby avoiding the pitfalls of technical imitation or symbolic collage.By analyzing Kuma's thoughts and practices,this study deepens the understanding of Japanese architectural culture's innovation mechanisms.It also provides a systematic reference-from cognitive paradigm to practical application-for the contemporary reconstruction of Chinese traditional architecture,enabling it to maintain cultural identity during globalization.
Keywords：constructive methodarchitectural atmosphereexplicitimplicitparticlizationtranslation design
Publication Date：2025-07-30
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：10( 12-21 )