At the beginning of the A + U retreat feature was an abstract of a 20-year-old lecture by Finnish architectural theorist Juhani Palsmaa. Citing Strambisky’s strange discourse, “Everything that is not traditional is plagiarism,” Palsmaa said, that contemporary architecture has deviated from the existential foundation of the architectural experience and has fallen into a race to compete for visual newness. It prompted a reconsideration of primitive memories. I read it and remembered Koji Taki’s commentary on “Futurism” that I read the other day. Taki saw the Futurism as the fruit of “regression and progress” as the intersection of history and the future. Newness does not move people by newness alone, and must appeal to the implicit memories accumulated in people’s hearts. I hope to at least reveal such a primitive thing to my retreat.
I was able to study abroad when I met Dr. Stewart. Senior Yasuda introduced me to Nikken, and Professor Sakamoto did to academic world. For her first book, Professor Shinohara asked me. The first four jobs after independence were given me by my alumni. It was senior Otabe who recommended my doctoral dissertation to the book. The second single book was recommended by Mr. Iio, and the third was recommended by Mr. Yamamichi. My monograph was published in Spain Bueb to the recommendation by my friend Enric and my exhibition in Buenos Aires was possible by tone huge effort by my friend Roberto. The crossroads and incidents of life do not occur alone. Someone was always involved and supporting me. And that kind of entanglement happens because I are sending something. It is important where and to whom to send.
I feel that there are two types of philosophers, one is the type that thinks toward the outside of human beings and the other is the type that moves toward the inside. The neo-materialists (Markus Gabriel, etc.) who are popular these days are the former. People like Kiyokazu Washida are the latter. Especially in the case of Mr. Washida, pay close attention to the boundary line. Tadashi Karube wrote in the commentary that people do not have a solid shape both physically and mentally, but that they always easily crumble and have the support of being “ordinary” as an anchor to prevent it. I thought so. And that “ordinary” feels too ephemeral to me these days.
Mr. S, who was Nikken’s ace, was often angry. The staff doesn’t work as expected. I can’t get the client’s understanding. The government office complains. “It’s strange” was a habit. After hearing that, Mr. S, the vice president, said, “There are many strange things in the world.” I read Mr. Naito’s architectural conundrum and remembered Vice President S. You can’t solve difficult problems, and even if you try, it’s a waste of time. Because that is the world. There are many strange things in AIJ and architectural competitions, but it can’t be helped. There’s nothing which has nothing to do with wrong things.
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