Week 2: Japan and Japanisme


Japan and Japanisme



During the first few centuries, Japan was generally ruled by competing clans and the political system provided a strong foundation of unity and emperors. To maintain a strong civilization of unity, they would often focus on their traditions and culture so they could ensure their sense of self. Japan was in close contact with China but their designs were unique to each other. China preferred a more formal style that was built on the idea of organization while Japan was the opposite. They preferred asymmetry and imperfections in their work. The Japanese endured designs that had changes and variations.




The Japanese would like to implement wood in their designs and this was heavily influenced by their geographical location. Wood and bamboo were abundant in Japan and since there were many earthquakes, wooden buildings were encouraged to maintain protection from natural disasters. This in turn became an outlet for the Japanese to view wood through more creative lenses because of their requirement for safety. Typical structures included rows of columns with panels. Every structure would have an odd number of bays whether it was three, five, or more. When a dimension is changed, the rest would be changed to maintain equal proportions across the architecture. 



Despite the exterior, the architecture for the interior would also be decorative and offer many wooden elements. Divisions of the interior would be made up of movable screens that run on tracks. Natural materials were often used indoors. Wood, stone, and glass would be used for decoration, especially wood, and bright wood was preferred over wood that had more redness such as birch or different types of oak. Many interiors of these buildings focused on neutral designs with wood, such as light beige colors or dark brown and black colors. Some rooms have displays containing flowers or scrolls to symbolize important rooms.











One step further: Frank Lloyd Wright

Wright was a very influential designer.  He had a very interesting design process and his mentor was Louis Henry Sullivan. Architecture was a philosophy to him and he used a method called the subdivision of the triangle, which allowed him to recognize different patterns and symmetry. Creating different shapes around the triangle, and filling the triangle with different patterns and curves allowed him to see new contrasts and shapes. Wright would use geometry, grids, additions, and a strategy called nesting which granted him the ability to see new shapes and patterns. Wright also used a technique called the pinwheel effect by drawing a shape near the center and rotating it along the point of origin to offer him more visualizations of shapes and how they can be combined together. 

Wright had an influence on Japanese architecture. He helped refine different styles such as the International style, and the Modernist style. The international style developed in the late 19th century and seeks to utilize traditions from around the world. he introduced a strong sense of simplicity and how to connect architecture with nature. It also inspired the use of natural materials. Modernism became more popular in the 1930's and was influenced by the architecture of Wright. It led to greater functionality and more attention to detail as well as how the environment can be used for inspiration.




Additional information: 
 

Comments

  1. Marisa VanWyheJanuary 26, 2024 at 11:28 AM

    Nice post! I liked your one step further on Frank Lloyd Wright and learning about the subdivision of the triangle. His designs are very linear vertically and horizontally so to use a triangle in his design method is interesting to know because his designs don't usually indicate triangle shapes.

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  2. Delia T.January 26, 2024 at 9:47 PM

    Nice post Jacob. I think you organized your post well, touched on some interesting points, and summarized the general information about Japan and Japanese design well. I enjoyed learning about Wright's different design methods and philosophical thinking in your one step further. Your pictures were great too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Professor VanderNoordaaJanuary 27, 2024 at 9:35 AM

    Well done Jacob. Your historical introduction with informative. It was interesting how the Japanese were influenced by the Chinese but chose a more informal style and asymmetrical style.
    You did I great job of summarizing what materials were easy to fine locally and what they used for their architecture and interiors.
    Your section on Frank Lloyd Wright was excellent. He was heavily influenced by the Japanese and share these precepts with the world.
    Total Points: 50/50

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