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Tadao Ando: Conversations with Students
The newest volume in our popular Conversations series features Japanese architect Tadao Ando. One of the most celebrated living architects, Ando is best known for crafting serenely austere structures that fuse Japanese building traditions with Western modernism. His minimalist masterworks-geometric forms clad in silky-smooth exposed concrete-are suffused with natural light and set in perfect harmony with the landscape. In these highlights from lectures delivered at the University of Tokyo's Graduate School of Architecture, Ando candidly describes his experiences as a largely self-taught practitioner, tracing his development from an early interest in the traditional building craft of his native Japan through his political awakening in the turbulent 1960s to his current stature as one of the world's foremost architects. In addition to exploring his aesthetic influences and working process, Ando offers students a road map not only for maintaining professional integrity, but also for becoming effective agents of change in the world.
96 pages, Paperback
First published September 19, 2012
15 people are currently reading
438 people want to read
About the author
Tadao Andō
129 books42 followersTadao Ando is a Japanese self-taught architect. Tadao Ando's body of work is known for the creative use of natural light and for structures that follow natural forms of the landscape, rather than disturbing the landscape by making it conform to the constructed space of a building. Ando's buildings are often characterized by complex three-dimensional circulation paths. These paths interweave between interior and exterior spaces formed both inside large-scale geometric shapes and in the spaces between them.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 22, 2020
An intimate talk between Tadao Ando and students of architecture or youth who are still finding their voice. He speaks with vigilance about his beginnings and how his 20s helped shaping the architect he is today.
He discussed the beautiful works of some inspiring architects, I personally enjoyed the chapter about Carlo Scarpa the most. He also talked about his own spiritual projects which I found myself to appreciate even more after reading this short book. The book highlights the importance of social responsibility , narration in architecture , spirituality and many more values that are still somehow lacking in Today’s architects. Or at least in my birthplace.
I’m grateful for this book, for I felt like a Freshman getting to know the spiritual world of architecture once again.
He discussed the beautiful works of some inspiring architects, I personally enjoyed the chapter about Carlo Scarpa the most. He also talked about his own spiritual projects which I found myself to appreciate even more after reading this short book. The book highlights the importance of social responsibility , narration in architecture , spirituality and many more values that are still somehow lacking in Today’s architects. Or at least in my birthplace.
I’m grateful for this book, for I felt like a Freshman getting to know the spiritual world of architecture once again.
October 14, 2023
One of my favorite books that inspire me and feed my thoughts!
May 25, 2024
Insightful and inspiring. In just 96 pages, Tadao Ando managed to address several issues and share words of wisdom.
December 26, 2019
A very short book that sheds a bit of didactic insight into one of the most strikingly unique architects of our time. Unlike quite a few others in his profession, Ando writes in a very clear and concise fashion; I found myself rereading the sections I enjoyed the most. I think a lot of other white collar professionals could learn from the way these starchitect types communicate their ideas and present themselves in the formal world while still retaining what makes them unique. Figures like Ando and Koolhaas will always be alluring thanks to the way they balance their professional context with personal expression.
October 21, 2019
The book is absolutely mandatory for every architect to be. He is a hero in the true meaning of the word. For me the book gave another perspective of his work, his inspirations and hardships. I highly recommend to anyone who wants to understand his creative process and why he became inspiration for many architects. The book is full of useful advices from a person that went through everything in the field, and yet preserved his beliefs.
January 27, 2023
Beautiful beautiful, this book that I found in the discount pile in a small bookstore in Kyoto ignited something in me! Feel so comforted in the presence of Ando's words, and the knowledge that he wrestled with the same questions I have about the ethics of design, at the exact same point in his twenties.
December 28, 2023
Short, concise, and very easy to digest. Most probably because I am an architect in his twenties, which was his target audience for the book. Would highly suggest all designers to read this on a holiday or vacation as it leaves you feeling more hopeful for the society and invigorated to be better architects.
December 18, 2024
"Tadao Ando: Conversations with Students" offers an insightful and accessible glimpse into the mind of the renowned architect, as he shares his design philosophy and personal experiences. The book is a valuable resource for aspiring architects, providing practical wisdom and inspiration from one of the field’s most respected figures.
April 3, 2020
Need to read
April 26, 2020
My favorite book. It helped me understand more about his ideas in his designs.
June 2, 2020
A good place to start if you're just finding out about Ando, but not a place to seek deeper understanding if you've already been studying him.
April 8, 2021
Really interesting and feels also like a life advice even if he is speaking about architecture.
June 14, 2023
very inspiring and insightful, especially to read at this point in my education. Definitely a lot of knowledge to take away from this, act on, and one day revisit.
August 3, 2024
Classic piece that coincided with my personal reflections; a timely piece that kickstarts the organisation my many thoughts and probably one that shapes my upcoming trajectory
July 3, 2021
i believe providing enough attractive housing will be one of the biggest challenges for our collective sanity in the future.
populations will continue to grow, cities are already bursting at the seams and this won’t have been the last pandemic to confine us to our homes for an extended period of time.
therefore any book on the work of tadao ando is worth reading as he knows a thing or two about working in mega cities where space is tight. he also sees the home as the pinnacle of an architect’s creation.
while his price tag certainly limits the scalability of his solutions there is a lot to learn here. this book in particular provides an invaluable glimpse into his approach and inspirations. as i agree with ando that inspiration should also come from outside your own craft i recommend this book whether architecture is close to your heart or not.
populations will continue to grow, cities are already bursting at the seams and this won’t have been the last pandemic to confine us to our homes for an extended period of time.
therefore any book on the work of tadao ando is worth reading as he knows a thing or two about working in mega cities where space is tight. he also sees the home as the pinnacle of an architect’s creation.
while his price tag certainly limits the scalability of his solutions there is a lot to learn here. this book in particular provides an invaluable glimpse into his approach and inspirations. as i agree with ando that inspiration should also come from outside your own craft i recommend this book whether architecture is close to your heart or not.
August 10, 2023
The book is based on Ando's series of lectures at the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Architecture. In another statement, Ando provided this set of important abstracts to his architecture students.
The book begins, as expected, with a condemnation of materialism. It is not surprise that Ando questioned and challenged today's economic arrangements for people who are familiar with him and his views. He refers to our time's architecture as solitary architecture. It involves separating architecture from people and social aspects. Ando investigates six chapters in this book as the six voyages of an architect (remember, Ando studied architecture by travelling); these six chapters are the roots of architecture, regionalism, living architecture, individuality, parts and wholes, and love.
Ando offers a story in the first chapter on how Japan's Schwinn Zachary style, Wright's architecture (such as the Tokyo Imperial Hotel), and Le Corbusier influenced his approach to architecture. He expresses sorrow for not witnessing Le Corbusier with his students, demonstrating how vital direct and intuitive experience with architecture and architects is in Ando's opinion. Ando discusses the turbulent 1960s and Japan's student movements, demonstrating that the vision of a mob of demonstrators in front of the National Assembly building is still fresh in his mind. The astute reader might wonder why Ando spends his speech to students in order to express his feelings.
Ando's sensory experiences certainly have an impact on him. Travel, he believes, is the architect's road and sentiments' builder. An architect, in his opinion, can acquire the fundamental principles of architecture on his voyage. The book's concepts serve as the foundation for the subsequent chapters. One of these mental structures is the significance of differences in architecture and the expression of semantic contrasts. According to Ando, a basic concern in architectural design is the contrast between an all-encompassing structural principle on the one hand and the expression of details on the other, or the relationship of the whole vs one portion.
Other semantic patterns are equally significant for a thinker who has always been a sceptic of globalisation. Ando emphasises the importance of critical regionalism in the following chapters. "How can I recover the lost memories of the city, its lifestyle, traditions, and history?" he wonders. For the reader unfamiliar with Ando's style and framework of thinking, it is possible that Ando emphasises functions and comprehending the points of view of the employer and users rather than the architect's individual identity. However, in another section of same lecture, Ando emphasises the topic of boosting the architect's personality. According to him, it is vital to take an aggressive stance towards the employer while keeping context, context, and users in mind. He believes that it is critical for the architect to take an active attitude. The offensive position means not allowing executive and functional considerations to trump ideology and aesthetics, as well as commitment to his and his society's individual and collective ambitions.
Ando emphasizes the significance of paying quiet attention to details and commencing art with details. He gives Scarpa as an example, who relies on the senses of sight and touch and advances his work with the arrangement and design of components, considering elements such as handles and fences as art objects. Ando compares his architecture to the process of putting together a garden, while highlighting the absence of feeling in modern architecture. He envisions light from everywhere, water at every moment, and stones full of life in his designs. Another instance where he discusses the significant phrase "SO WHAT?" in Gahri pertains to resolving performance issues during the initial stages of creation.
The book provides a significant overview of the perspective of the renowned artist and philosopher, which can prove beneficial for students. In my opinion, each section of the book can be associated with the last section's title, which served as the inspiration for Ando's creation.: lOVE FOR ARCHITECTURE!
The book begins, as expected, with a condemnation of materialism. It is not surprise that Ando questioned and challenged today's economic arrangements for people who are familiar with him and his views. He refers to our time's architecture as solitary architecture. It involves separating architecture from people and social aspects. Ando investigates six chapters in this book as the six voyages of an architect (remember, Ando studied architecture by travelling); these six chapters are the roots of architecture, regionalism, living architecture, individuality, parts and wholes, and love.
Ando offers a story in the first chapter on how Japan's Schwinn Zachary style, Wright's architecture (such as the Tokyo Imperial Hotel), and Le Corbusier influenced his approach to architecture. He expresses sorrow for not witnessing Le Corbusier with his students, demonstrating how vital direct and intuitive experience with architecture and architects is in Ando's opinion. Ando discusses the turbulent 1960s and Japan's student movements, demonstrating that the vision of a mob of demonstrators in front of the National Assembly building is still fresh in his mind. The astute reader might wonder why Ando spends his speech to students in order to express his feelings.
Ando's sensory experiences certainly have an impact on him. Travel, he believes, is the architect's road and sentiments' builder. An architect, in his opinion, can acquire the fundamental principles of architecture on his voyage. The book's concepts serve as the foundation for the subsequent chapters. One of these mental structures is the significance of differences in architecture and the expression of semantic contrasts. According to Ando, a basic concern in architectural design is the contrast between an all-encompassing structural principle on the one hand and the expression of details on the other, or the relationship of the whole vs one portion.
Other semantic patterns are equally significant for a thinker who has always been a sceptic of globalisation. Ando emphasises the importance of critical regionalism in the following chapters. "How can I recover the lost memories of the city, its lifestyle, traditions, and history?" he wonders. For the reader unfamiliar with Ando's style and framework of thinking, it is possible that Ando emphasises functions and comprehending the points of view of the employer and users rather than the architect's individual identity. However, in another section of same lecture, Ando emphasises the topic of boosting the architect's personality. According to him, it is vital to take an aggressive stance towards the employer while keeping context, context, and users in mind. He believes that it is critical for the architect to take an active attitude. The offensive position means not allowing executive and functional considerations to trump ideology and aesthetics, as well as commitment to his and his society's individual and collective ambitions.
Ando emphasizes the significance of paying quiet attention to details and commencing art with details. He gives Scarpa as an example, who relies on the senses of sight and touch and advances his work with the arrangement and design of components, considering elements such as handles and fences as art objects. Ando compares his architecture to the process of putting together a garden, while highlighting the absence of feeling in modern architecture. He envisions light from everywhere, water at every moment, and stones full of life in his designs. Another instance where he discusses the significant phrase "SO WHAT?" in Gahri pertains to resolving performance issues during the initial stages of creation.
The book provides a significant overview of the perspective of the renowned artist and philosopher, which can prove beneficial for students. In my opinion, each section of the book can be associated with the last section's title, which served as the inspiration for Ando's creation.: lOVE FOR ARCHITECTURE!
November 10, 2013
This was really great and reading something by a contemporary architect which was largely directed at architecture students is actually rather inspiring. It's so different to read about contemporary architects, compared to historical/dead ones. Ando speaks about modern architecture really as it is *now*. And having never read anything by a contemporary architect, and only studied history, this is so interesting. The book is also very personal, as in, it's like Ando was addressing me specifically. But yes, it is much more inspiring than reading about people in the 1930's debating their modernity.
January 24, 2020
Wonderful and inspiring! I enjoyed being able to get a peak into Ando’s brilliant thoughts. I wish I read this while I was a student, but I find it’s also just as relevant to my practice now. Ando touches on important topics that students and architects need to be aware/ reminded of today.
February 25, 2016
Very inspiring irrespective of the discipline/s one wishes to master.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews