AIA Japan Past Presidents Dinner
2024-01-23 18:00 - 21:00 UTC | 東京都
AIA Japan Past Presidents Dinner

6:00 PM 9:00 PM

Ebisu Bar Nite Vol. 2
2024-02-01 18:30 - 22:00 UTC | 東京都
EBISU BAR NITE VOL.2

6:30 PM 10:00 PM
東京都渋谷区恵比寿1-11-2TokyoJapan (map)

COME JOIN US IN EBISU FOR ANOTHER SESSION OF AIA JAPAN’S “BAR NITE”.
BRING YOUR FRIEND!
FOOTNIK BAR IN EBISU
HTTPS://FOOTNIK.NET/EBISU/
No RSVP. No reservation. No entry charge. Come anytime, leave anytime.
Pay for your own drink and food at the counter.

Gallery MA Tour: Nosaku/Tsuneyama: Urban Fungus - Architecture is a Complex Mesh
2024-03-09 13:00 - 15:00 UTC | 東京都
Company Profile
Fuminori Nousaku and Mio Tsuneyama are Tokyo-based architects. They engage in critical architectural practice on the theme of contemporary cities and ecosystems.
Their representative works include Holes in the House (Tokyo,) House For Seven People*(Tokyo); Akeno Raised Floor** (Yamanashi Prefecture); Piles and Pointed Roof (Tokyo); Guest House in Takaoka*** (Toyama Prefecture); Himi Migrant Village (Toyama Prefecture); and ”House on Classical Elements” Smart Village in Akiya (Kanagawa Prefecture).
They received numerous awards including the 15th Venice Architecture Biennale Special Mention Award (for the Japanese Pavilion exhibition); the 33rd JIA Young Architect Award**; and the AIJ Selected Works Young Architect Award.***
* Mio Tsuneyama ** Fuminori Nousaku *** Fuminori Nousaku ＋Junpei Nousaku
All others works: Fuminori Nousaku ＋ Mio Tsuneyama
Mio Tsuneyama, Architect
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1983. Worked at Bonhôte Zapata Architectes (Switzerland) from 2005 to 2006. Received the Swiss Federal Government Scholarship from 2006 to 2008. Graduated from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in 2008. Worked at HHF Architects (Switzerland) from 2008 to 2012. Established mnm in 2012. Assistant Professor at Tokyo University of Science (TUS) from 2015 to 2020. Special lecturer at TUS from 2020 to 2021. Visiting Professor at EPFL from 2022 to 2023. Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia University in 2023.
Fuminori Nousaku, Architect
Born in Toyama Prefecture in 1982. Graduated from Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) in 2005 and completed the graduate program at Tokyo Tech in 2007. Worked at Njiric+ Arhitecti (Croatia) in 2008. He has been leading Fuminori Nousaku Architects since 2010. Obtained Ph.D. from Tokyo Tech in 2012. Assistant Professor at Tokyo Tech from 2012 to 2018. Associate Professor at Tokyo Denki University from 2018 to 2021. Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia University in 2023. Currently Associate Professor at Tokyo Metropolitan University.
Exhibition Description
Nousaku and Tsuneyama have been researching the relationship between architecture, cities, and ecosystems at universities in Japan and abroad while designing architecture and writing articles. They have been renovating the “Holes in the House,“ their home and office, from an ecological viewpoint by drilling holes in the slabs of the existing steel frame house to circulate light and heat, breaking the concrete-covered exterior with their hands, and improving the soil. It is a place of implementation where they experiment and develop what they learned elsewhere into upcoming projects. They attempt to bring the wild back into the city based on their idea of “Urban Wild Ecology” and actively incorporate traditional knowledge of stone masonry and wood framing as well as materials that return to the soil, such as straw and earthen walls.
They refer to cities as “human-influenced habitats for diverse organisms. “It decomposes part of contemporary cities faced with challenges, absorbs their nutrients, and grows like a fungus (mushroom.) They see architecture as a nexus point in the mesh of such decay and regeneration while striving to establish multispecies networks by using the wild and traditional knowledge to cut into the mesh and reconnect them.
This exhibition is an attempt to share their small trials and errors that everyone can emulate to reconnect the mesh through cross-sectional drawings and models of projects, including the proposed further renovation of the “Holes in the House” and the latest, “House on Classical Elements” Smart Village in Akiya. We hope viewers will perceive the possibilities and visions of architecture in the age of Anthropocene beyond it.

Ebisu Beer Nite Vol.3
2024-03-28 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | 東京都
Ebisu Beer Nite Vol.3

7:00 PM 9:00 PM

Ebisu Beer Nite is back with a new name: ABC (Architects, Beer, and Chat)!
It’s another chance to meet fellow AIA Japan members and connect!
Pay for your own drink and food. Come anytime, leave anytime.
See you at the PUB TAP+ in Ebisu.

High Rise Façade – Balancing Aesthetic, Structural Integrity, and Functionality
2024-05-16 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | 東京都
AIA Japan In Person CES Lecture
Date of In-Person Lecture: May 16, 2024 Thursday evening
Time: 1900 – 2100 Hrs
Venue: TBD Roppongi Mid-Town
Lecture Title:
High Rise Façade – Balancing Aesthetic, Structural Integrity, and Functionality
Lecture Description:
The façade of a high-rise building serves as both the face and the skin of the structure, embodying its aesthetic appeal while ensuring structural integrity and functionality. This presentation explores the intricate balance required in designing and implementing high-rise façades, where architectural vision meets engineering prowess. We explore the multifaceted considerations ranging from visual impact and environmental sustainability to structural stability and occupant comfort. Additionally, we examine innovative materials, technologies, and design strategies employed to achieve a harmonious synthesis of form and function in high-rise façades. Through case studies and examples, we illustrate the challenges and successes in achieving the delicate equilibrium between aesthetics, structural integrity, and functionality in the design and construction of high-rise façades.
Learning Objective 1:

Identify and describe the fundamental principles of high-rise façade design, including aesthetics, structural integrity and functionality.

Learning Objective 2:

Describe the structural analysis to assess the load-bearing capacity, wind resistance and seismic performance of high-rise façade systems.

Learning Objective 3:

Explore different façade materials in terms of their aesthetic qualities, durability and environmental impact.

Learning Objective 4:

Explore sustainable design strategies for high-rise facades, including passive design techniques, green materials and energy-efficient glazing systems.

Lecturers:
Timothy Soebroto
Regional Director – South-East Asia
Timothy has been in the facade industry for over 25 years. He has been involved in diverse roles and positions in facade contractors, from designing to managing facade projects; including assisting architects in designing facade systems to achieve required aesthetic. He has an extensive experience in the designing and managing the facade systems, especially unitized curtain wall. His work experience include; Resorts World at Sentosa, Thamrin Nine Development, which will be the tallest building in southern hemisphere, NESCO Development and Ocean Prestige Tower in Mumbai, India and Saigon Bin Anh in Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam.
Brian Leung
Regional Director – North Asia
With more than fifteen years’ inclusive experience in curtain wall consultancy and contractor for both Hong Kong, Macau and PRC projects, Brian familiarized in full range of practice in Façade industry, he is not only proficiency in design and engineering for curtain wall, cladding and non-load bearing structural steel structure systems, but also the construction management and project statutory administration.

Lecuture: Carlos Arnaiz
2024-06-13 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | 東京都
Come join us at CIC Tokyo for a special lecture by Architect Carlos Arnaiz.
CES Pending
• Lecture topic—Carlos Arnaiz examines the ecological and technological disruptions that are altering how we think about and alter our built environment today. Navigating through these disruptions requires us to look at systems and processes in entirety, rather than the workings of individual parts. Studying different tendencies and aesthetic regimes that emerge across geographies not only deepens our systems-based design thinking, but also enhances our metabolic understanding of buildings within landscapes.
• Short bio—Carlos Arnaiz is an architect, educator, writer and urban design consultant. He is the founder and principal of CAZA, the co-founder of SURBA and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design at Pratt Institute where he teaches a class on the history of ideas about the city and a studio on multi-family housing. His professional experience ranges from the design and construction of large-scale mixed-used complexes to the development of strategic sustainability plans for new cities around the world. Carlos holds a Master’s Degree, with Honors, from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, and a Bachelor’s Degree, Magna Cum Laude, from Williams College. Carlos’ work has been recognized with prestigious awards such as two consecutive Progressive Architecture awards in 2008 and 2009 and the AIANY building merit award in 2008. His projects has also been selected as Finalist for ArchDaily’s Best Buildings of the Year, as well as Finalist for Architizer A+ Awards.
Registrants will receive an email with a QR code to enter the venu.
This is an in person event.
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Register here:
https://peatix.com/event/4016323/view

Shigenori Uoya: Gallery MA Visit
2024-06-15 | 東京都
Description from Gallery Ma website:
Shigenori Uoya has renovated over 120 Kyo-machiya (Kyoto’s traditional townhouses) based on his research on the composition of Kyoto and other cities and is engaged in architectural practice focused on the issue of inheriting urban context. In Kyoto, historic cityscapes are on the verge of extinction, with machiya (townhouses) and nagaya (rowhouses) being demolished and replaced with condominiums and parking lots daily. In this context, Uoya strives to pass on the architectural legacy not only of machiya but also of alleys and allotments.
For example, in “Nagaya and Historical Alley with Containers,” he covered a corner of a nagaya building with a steel frame, combining it with containers to meet the needs of modern use while preserving the alley. The “Kakkyoyama Common Center for Gion Festival,” which received the 2023 Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ) Award (Work), is an extension combining an existing wooden construction with a steel frame construction to revitalize a historical meeting hall for the Gion Festival while leveraging the legal system for architectural conservation. By weaving modern technology into historical and regional contexts using various methods, Uoya aims to pass on streetscapes and buildings to the next 100 years to realize richer urban spaces and urban habitats. Based on his extensive hands-on experience in Kyoto, Uoya’s practice is expanding to other parts of Japan and abroad.
The exhibition title, “Re-Weaving Urban Fabrics,” expresses Uoya’s perspective on cities and architecture. The phrase “Re-Weaving Urban Fabrics” encompasses meanings of two phrases, “Layering Time in the City” and “Re-editing Urban Structures.” Through this exhibition, we hope to convey to visitors the possibilities of contemporary architecture that connects history and the future.

Register here:
https://peatix.com/event/3999323/view

CES Pending.

TOSHIKO KINOSHITA "The Work of Heritage Houses Trust"
2024-09-07 11:30 - 13:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | HERITAGE HOUSES TRUST, 1 Chome-11-7 Jiyugaoka, Meguro City, Tokyo, Japan
Saturday, September 7, 11:00-13:00 at the Heritage Houses Trust
lecture followed by a tour of Sonoda House by Junzo Yoshimura.
Lecture Topic:
This event includes a lecture on the work of the non-profit organization Heritage Houses Trust and a tour of the Sonoda House, which the Trust was actually involved in preserving. The participants will exchange opinions on the current status of the preservation and utilization of historical buildings in Japan, including issues relating to inheritance,preservation and utilization and the role of architects in this field in the future.
Lecturer Bio:
Born in Kobe in 1969. Graduated from Japan Woman’s University with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1993, Shibaura Institute of Technology with a Master of Science degree in 1995 and University of London with a Master of Arts degree in 1996. Rotary Foundation scholar at the Mackintosh School of Architecture from 1996-97. Doctoral student at University of Tokyo from 2000-05. Lecturer in architectural history at Tokyo Science University from 2000-05 and at Tokyo Denki University from 2006-08. She founded Community Housing Ltd. in 2013 with her partner Juan Pablo Ordonez Q. Currently a board of directors of Heritage Houses Trust and NPO Tamagawa Machizukuri House. Publications include ‘Visions of the Real: Modern Houses in the 20th Century I & II’(a+u, 2000).
CES: 2.0 LUs Approved
The work of Heritage Trust, non-profit organization, for preserving historically and culturally important residences designed by famous Japanese architects, is contributing to sustainability that the post-war approach of scrap and built, resulting in generation of large amounts of waste, is clearly not suited to the present age. It is time for Japanese people to learn to live in 100-year-old vintage houses, rather than being obsessed with newness and that old houses can be re-vitalized for the health, safety and welfare of its future occupants as well.
Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the number of factors that account for difficulty of preserving historical residences in Japan contributing to demolition of many houses that are still livable for health, safety and welfare of its residents.
2. Analyze how the Japanese real estate market is largely unreceptive of “used housing” including Japan real estate tax depreciation systems that encourage building of new homes instead of preserving houses of cultural value for the welfare of its neighborhood and community.
3. Describe that even when a property has been officially recognized for its historical and cultural value, the situation is precarious because it is privately owned and public financial support is weak. In many cases, the house is demolished at the time of generational change, to pay inheritance tax or/and inheritance division. Designation as a cultural property requires the agreement of the owner in practice and many owners hesitate their properties to be designated as cultural properties.
4. Explore the wonders of Sonoda House designed by Junzo Yoshimura and completed in 1955. Later in 1987, the addition was designed by Hiroshi Ogawa, former Yoshimura’s office staff. The house was successfully passed on to the present owner and now it is open to the public for music concerts and architectural visits.
Venue Schedule:
Doors open – 10:45
Lecture start time – 11:00
End time – 13:00
Venue info will be sent to registrants before the event.
REGISTER HERE

End of the Year Party - AIAJ Bonenkai
2024-12-13 19:00 - 21:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | 東京都
Bonenkai is this Friday, Dec 13 in Aoyama!
Members – please let us know you are coming by registering HERE!
This event is open to:

Members
Board and committee members’s guests.
AIAJ invited guests

See you there!

Yasutaka Yoshimura: MANGARCHITECTURE - Absence of an Architect | Gallery Ma Exhibit Tour
2025-02-22 10:00 - 12:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | TOTO GALLERY · MA, Minamiaoyama, 1 Chome−24−3 TOTO乃木坂ビル, Minato City, Tokyo, 107-0062, Japan
Register here via Peatix:
https://aiaj250222.peatix.com/
Exhibit Description from Gallery Ma Website
Since the early days of his architectural activities, Yasutaka Yoshimura has strived to establish various relationships between spontaneous movements, such as people’s behavior, and different social conditions, such as social systems and situations so that architecture can serve as the bridge between the two.
He is exploring new ways of dwelling and living in the depopulating society Japan will face from now on. For example, with “Fukumasu Base” (2016), he covered a wooden structure with a ready-made tent warehouse to realize a childcare support facility where children can spend their time freely in a spacious open-plan space. With “Home2Go#001″(2019), he considered architecture as something between “immovable property” and “movable property” and imagined a “semi-movable property architecture” where people can choose where to live without being bound by the land. With “Takigahara Chicken Village” (2021), he envisioned an animal welfare society where humans and animals can lead happy lives together.What would happen if the architect’s authorship became “absent?” Yoshimura asks this question through this exhibition, using his work as reference material to further advance his exploration of the extensibility of architecture in today’s society.
In this exhibition, seven of Yoshimura’s projects are depicted as seven different stories by different manga artists to explore new interpretations of architecture. The world of manga has developed in a particularly unique way among two-dimensional pictorial expressions and has become a familiar part of our daily lives. What is depicted when manga and architecture meet and architecture leaves the architect’s hands? We invite everyone to discover what the collaboration of architecture and manga will create.
Exhibitor Profile – Yasutaka Yoshimura
Born in 1972 in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture. He received a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, in 1995 and a master’s degree from Waseda University in 1997. From 1999 to 2001 he worked at MVRDV (Netherlands) under the Overseas Study Program for Artists of the Agency for Cultural Affairs. He founded Yasutaka Yoshimura Architects Inc. in 2005. He was a professor by special appointment at Meiji University from 2013 to 2018, and is currently a professor at Waseda University.
He has received the Yoshioka Prize (2006), the Asia Design Award (2009), the Good Design Award Special Prize (2010), the House Award Gold Prize (2010), the JCD Design Award Grand Prix (2011), the Annual Prize of AIJ (2011, 2014, 2018), the AP Award (2014), the WADA Award (2016), and the Grand Prize of ADAN (2018). His written works include Super Legal Buildings (Shokokusha, 2006), EX-CONTAINER (Graphic-sha, 2008), and Behaviors and Protocols (LIXIL Publishing, 2012).
Register here via Peatix:
https://aiaj250222.peatix.com/

AIA Leadership Summit 2025
2025-02-24 - 2025-02-26 | Grand Hyatt Hotel, 1000 H Street, NW, Washington, DC, DC, 20006, United States
AIA Leadership Summit 2025 is the premier advocacy and leadership training event for AIA chapter leaders. The annual event is always one of AIA’s best attended leadership events—offering attendees a unique platform to engage in critical policy discussions with lawmakers while enhancing their leadership skills.
AIALS 2025 is happening February 24–26, 2025, at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C. This is your opportunity to connect with—and learn from—over 700 AIA members, volunteer leaders, and chapter executives from across the nation. Over three days, you’ll learn how to maximize your leadership potential, connect advocacy outreach with leadership for better outcomes, and apply best practices in association management.
This year’s event highlights include:

Emmy-nominated host, writer, and podcaster Baratunde Thurston will explore the four pillars of “How to Citizen”: participation, relationship-building, understanding power, and valuing the collective for the common good
Capitol Hill visits with members of Congress from your state to influence policy
Networking and community with hundreds of like-minded peers
20 Expert-led sessions on advocacy, leadership, and association management
Insights on the latest policy developments to influence the legislative process

Register Today!

Ebisu Beer & Sketch Nite!
2025-03-28 19:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | PUB TAP+, 1 Chome−15−2 アパルトマンイトウ 101, Shibuya, Ebisunishi, 東京都, 150-0021, Japan
Ebisu Beer & Sketch Nite!
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

AIA Japan’s Beer & Sketch Nite is back!
It’s another chance to meet fellow AIA Japan members and connect! No formalities, no agenda—just architects, beer, and questionable doodles. Buy your own drinks and food. Show up when you want, leave when you want. See you at PUB TAP+ in Ebisu!

Evening Lecture - Balázs Bognár @ Meiji University
2025-04-17 19:00 - 20:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | Meiji University, Surugadai Campus, Global Front Building, 16F Lecture Room, 1-1 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-0062, Japan
Evening Lecture: Balázs Bognár – Place-Time ContinuumDate: April 17, 2025Time: 19:00 JSTLocation: 16F Lecture Room, Surugadai Campus Global Front, Meiji UniversityLanguage: EnglishOpen to the Public
Join Meiji University’s International Program in Architecture and Urban Design (I-AUD) for an evening lecture by Balázs Bognár, AIA Japan President and Partner at Kengo Kuma and Associates, entitled “Place-Time Continuum”.

Connect & Discover: Materials Lecture + Mixer
2025-04-25 18:30 - 20:30 (Asia/Tokyo) | Cosentino Showroom, イノックス青山 6 Chome-4-14 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo, 107-0062, Japan
REGISTER HERE!

Join AIA Japan and Cosentino for an evening of connection, conversation, and material inspiration. We’ll kick things off with a presentation introducing Ultracompact Surfaces (UCS)—a high-performance material redefining possibilities in architecture and design.
Then, stay for wine, snacks, and the chance to meet the Cosentino team, mingle with fellow architects and designers, and grow your network. Whether you’re curious about new materials or just looking to connect, we would love to see you there!
This event will give AIA-CES credits!

AIA International in Japan - Azabudai Hills: A New Urban Vision
2025-04-26 16:00 - 20:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower, Ground Lobby, 1 Chome-3-1 Azabudai, Minato City, Tokyo, 106-0041, Japan
We invite you to join us for an exclusive event all about Azabudai Hills, featuring a tour, a panel discussion and social time!
When: Saturday 26 April 2025 @ 03:00-07:00 (Eastern US Time)/ 16:00-20:00 (Japan Standard Time)
Where: Azabudai Hills, Tokyo
Cost: Free of charge for all (including AIA and non-AIA members)
We have a choice of programs on offer:
Program 1 – Azabudai Hills Tour (Limited to 120 people)
Program 2 – Panel Presentation & Social Gathering (Limited to 120 people)
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Register for one or both events HERE!
Registration opens 3/24/2025 for AIA non-leadership members!
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You may choose to participate in one or both activities. The number of participants is limited for each program and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Event Description
Participants will be split into English-speaking and Japanese-speaking groups for a guided tour led by Midori Omori, Executive at Mori Building, alongside her team.
Following this, a panel presentation and discussion will be held, featuring Naomi Sato, the current President of the Japan Institute of Architects, who will present on the Tokyo International Forum. Kenzo Nakakoji from Mori Building will provide insights into Azabudai Hills, showcasing the latest developments in Tokyo from the developer’s perspective. Additionally, the CEO of North Glass will offer a technical viewpoint on the project. After the presentations, there will be a panel discussion where each speaker will delve deeper into their respective projects and share further insights. The event will conclude with a two-hour social gathering at Hills House, offering ample time for networking and interaction, along with food and beverages.
Presenters
JIA President Naomi Sato
Mori Building Executive Midori Omori
Mori Building Project Planning & Design Manager Kenzo Nakakoji
North Glass CEO Paul Gao
Host: AIA International Vice-President / President- Elect Segene Park
Moderator: AIA International Adjunct Director / Silas Chiow
Program 1: Azabudai Hills Tour

Meeting point: Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower, Ground Lobby
1 Chome-3-1 Azabudai, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0041
https://www.azabudai-hills.com/
16:00: Tour in English & Japanese (60 minutes)

Hosted by Mori Building and North Glass, featuring Mori Building Executive Midori Omori and North Glass CEO Paul Gao.
Participants will be divided into English-speaking and Japanese-speaking groups.
Each group will be required to download a smartphone application (further details will be shared later).

Program 2: Panel Presentation & Social Gathering
Meeting point: Hills Tower Plaza 4F, 33rd Floor
https://www.hillshouse.jp/
17:00: Panel Presentation in English (45 minutes), featuring:

Tokyo International Forum (AIA Award-winning project) – Presented by JIA President Naomi Sato.
Azabudai Hills – Presented by Mori Building Kenzo Nakakoji.
Latest glass façade technology – Presented by Paul Gao, CEO of North Glass, and a specialist in glass manufacturing engineering.

17:30: Panel Discussion in English (15 minutes). The session will conclude with a brief discussion of:

Their projects.
Glass façade innovations.
Emerging trends and technologies.
Design aspects.

18:00: Social Gathering at Hills House (120 minutes)

Takes place after the panel presentation.
Hosted at Hills House on the 33rd floor.

Link here for Speaker Bios and more information!
Hope to see you there!

Ebisu Beer & Sketch Nite!
2025-05-15 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-06-26 19:00 - 21:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | 東京都
Ebisu Beer & Sketch Nite!
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

AIA Japan’s Beer & Sketch Nite is back!
It’s another chance to meet fellow AIA Japan members (and friends) and connect! No formalities, no agenda—just architects, beer, and questionable doodles. Buy your own drinks and food. Show up when you want, leave when you want. See you at PUB TAP+ in Ebisu!

Gallery Ma Exhibition Tour: Kazuo Shinohara's "Inscribe Eternity in Space―A centennial exhibition with 100 questions"
2025-06-21 09:30 - 11:30 (Asia/Tokyo) | TOTO GALLERY · MA, Minamiaoyama, 1 Chome−24−3 TOTO乃木坂ビル, Minato City, Tokyo, 107-0062, Japan
Join AIA Japan for a special guided tour of Gallery Ma’s latest exhibition honoring the centennial of Kazuo Shinohara, one of Japan’s most influential architects. Inscribe Eternity in Space explores Shinohara’s lasting impact through 100 provocative questions about architecture and space. This event is free and open to all. CES credits available for AIA Members.
Registration here (via Peatix app)!
Gallery Ma Tour: Kazuo Shinohara: Inscribe Eternity in Space – A Centennial Exhibition with 100 Questions
Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025Time: 9:30 AMLocation: Gallery Ma, Tokyo
After event: After the tour, we invite you to please join us to continue the conversation afterwards over coffee and casual brunch (paid by guests) nearby!

Gallery Ma Exhibit Description:
TOTO GALLERY・MA announces new exhibition “Kazuo Shinohara: Inscribe Eternity in Space – a centennial exhibition with 100 questions” to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of architect Kazuo Shinohara.
Kazuo Shinohara (1925–2006) studied under Kiyoshi Seike (1918–2005) at Tokyo Institute of Technology (now Institute of Science Tokyo). Upon graduating, Shinohara began his career as a professor architect at the same university. He set up Shinohara Atelier upon his retirement from teaching, with its base in his own house and studio, House in Yokohama (1985), where he continued to produce designs and theoretical writings. Many architects who came under his influence now stand at the forefront of the global architectural scene, including members of the so-called “Shinohara School” that consisted of Itsuko Hasegawa, Toyo Ito, and Kazunari Sakamoto.
Kazuo Shinohara proclaimed that “a house is a work of art” and devoted a great deal of energy to the design of small houses. Shinohara’s houses are now undergoing a period of re-assessment in Japan and overseas, praised as one of the pinnacles of Japan’s achievements in residential design. Published together with this proclamation was one of his early masterpieces, Umbrella House (1961), which was relocated and resurrected in 2022 on the campus of Vitra in Weil am Rhein, Germany, just outside of Basel. House in White (1966), House of Earth (1966), and Tanikawa House (1974) have all been preserved through renovation or even relocation efforts.
For this exhibition, we welcome guest curators Shin-ichi Okuyama, Momoyo Kaijima, and Seng Kuan as our collaborators. Focusing on the theme of “eternity,” the exhibition reconsiders the image of Shinohara as an architect who continuously asked himself questions throughout his life.
The exhibition features original objects such as the drawings, models, sketches, as well as furniture produced by Shinohara Laboratory. These exhibits are framed through 100 questions extracted from Shinohara writings, following the self-described trajectory from the First Style to the Fourth Style and revealing new insights into both his professional activities and Shinohara as an individual.
The exhibition further includes sketches of Shinohara’s unfinished work House in Tateshina (2006, study), which anticipates an eventual Fifth Style.
We hope this exhibition will help convey to future generations Shinohara’s legacy in space making and architectural discourse.
Biographies:

Seng Kuan is an architectural historian and theorist. He is Project Associate Professor and Director of the International Architectural Education Platform at the University of Tokyo and Lecturer in Architecture at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. He has written extensively on Japan’s postwar architectural culture, including the “land, water, and sky” trilogy on the Metabolists; the role of structural engineering in modern Japanese architecture; and books on Tange Kenzō and Shinohara Kazuo. As Chief Editorial Advisor to a+u, Seng oversees the editorial agenda of the Tokyo-based journal. He is also a member of the Planning and Management Committee of TOTO Gallery MA in Tokyo.
Exhibitions play a major role in Seng’s research methodology. His curatorial work includes Utopia Across Scales: Highlights from the Kenzō Tange Archive (GSD 2009); Metabolism: City of the Future (Mori Art Museum, 2011); and Shinohara Kazuo (Kemper Art Museum 2014; ETH Zürich 2016; GSD 2019). His research projects have been recognized with major grants from Graham Foundation and the Japan Foundation.

Koshiro Ogura is an architect and researcher focusing on architectural drawings and archival materials. He obtained degrees in architecture from Tokyo Tech (BEng, 2019; MEng, 2021) and was an Academic Guest at ETH Zürich (2022-2023). He is an assistant curator of the “Kazuo Shinohara Inscribe Eternity in Space A centennial exhibition with 100 questions” at TOTO Gallery MA.

Ebisu Beer & Sketch Nite!
2025-08-21 19:00 - 21:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | 東京都
Ebisu Beer & Sketch Nite!
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

AIA Japan’s Beer & Sketch Nite!
It’s another chance to meet fellow AIA Japan members (and friends) and connect! No formalities, no agenda—just architects, beer, and questionable doodles. Buy your own drinks and food. Show up when you want, leave when you want. See you at PUB TAP+ in Ebisu!

Evening Lecture: Denise V. de Castro on Purpose-Driven, Resilient Design
2025-08-28 18:00 - 20:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | Cosentino Showroom, イノックス青山 6 Chome-4-14 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo, 107-0062, Japan
We are pleased to invite you to our next in-person lecture with Denise V. de Castro of DEQA Design Collaborative.
REGISTER HERE VIA PEATIX!

Purpose-Driven, Resilient Design: Lessons from the Philippines on Community, Culture, and Local MaterialsDate/Time: Thursday, August 28, 2025 | 18:00 – 19:00 JSTLocation: Cosentino Tokyo Showroom (see address below)CES Credits: 1 LU/HSW available for AIA members
Lecture Description:
This lecture explores how a boutique, resource-conscious Philippine practice addresses globally relevant architectural challenges through socially impactful, adaptive, and material-driven design strategies. The presentation is framed around three interrelated themes: Community, Culture, and Identity; Adaptive Reuse & Multi-Functional Spaces; and Innovative Materials & Resilient, Off-Grid Design. The talk highlights the interplay of interiors and architecture, showing how spatial detailing, furniture, finishes, and cultural storytelling reinforce a building’s purpose. Participants will gain insights into designing resilient and meaningful spaces in resource-constrained environments, balancing cultural relevance, environmental responsibility, and scalable construction methods. This talk is intended for architects and design professionals interested in socially conscious, material-driven, and resilient architecture, particularly those working in tropical, off-grid, or resource-constrained environments.

Speaker Bio: Denise V. de Castro
Principal Architect & Founder | DEQA Design Collaborative, Manila Philippines
Denise V. de Castro is the Principal Architect and Founder of DEQA Design Collaborative, an award-winning studio creating integrated, life-centered environments that uplift people, strengthen communities, and positively impact the planet. A proud Filipino architect and entrepreneur, she is driven by the belief that design can transform the everyday and shape a better future.
She earned her Master’s in Architecture from Harvard University and a Bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College, further developing her expertise at global firms such as IDEO, CBT Architects, and Lor Calma Design Associates. Since founding DEQA in 2010, Denise has led projects for clients such as Unilever, The Henry Hotels, Alveo, SGV, and Phinma Education, consistently delivering spaces that foster health, joy, and fulfillment.
Through DEQA’s Well Living Design Index (WLDI), she integrates sustainability, wellness, and human experience into every project, guiding her team in creating environments that enrich lives and stand the test of time. Beyond her studio, she serves as an Independent Director at Arthaland and Advisor to NetGroup, championing sustainability and innovation in real estate and renewable energy.
At the heart of her work is a commitment to use design as a strategic tool to improve quality of life and shape a more connected, inspired future.

AIA Japan Beer & Sketch Nite! - Shimokitazawa!
2025-09-25 19:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | Beer Bar Ushitora Ichigōten, Daita, 6 Chome−3−27 アザリアハウス 1F, Setagaya City, 東京都, 155-0033, Japan
Beer & Sketch Nite – special location at Shimokitazawa!
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

AIA Japan’s Beer & Sketch Nite!
It’s another chance to meet fellow AIA Japan members (and friends) and connect, but at Beer Bar Ushitora Ichigoten in Shimokitazawa! No formalities, no agenda—just architects, beer, and questionable doodles. Buy your own drinks and food. Show up when you want, leave when you want.

Seijima-san Lecture at the 2025 ASAI Conference – Special Registration Offer for AIA Japan Members
2025-10-01 | Italian Cultural Institute, 2 Chome-1-30 Kudanminami, Chiyoda City, Tokyo, 102-0074, Japan
AIA Japan members are invited to the ASAI – Architecture in Perspective International Conference in Tokyo, October 1–3, 2025.
As part of the program, up to 40 AIA Japan members will receive complimentary registration to attend the Kazuyo Sejima Keynote Lecture on October 1, 2025 at the Italian Cultural Institute (near Hanzomon Station, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo).
Event: Kazuyo Sejima Keynote LectureDate: Wednesday, October 1, 2025Location: Italian Cultural InstituteTime: See conference schedule for details (more details to come)Registration: AIA Registration link here
Kazuyo Sejima, Pritzker Prize laureate and 2025 RIBA Royal Gold Medal winner, will share insights from her internationally acclaimed architectural career.
Seats for the lecture are limited and will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
Don’t miss this opportunity (and many others) to engage with the global community of architectural illustrators at the 2025 ASAI conference. More information here!

2025 ASAI Architecture in Perspective International Conference
2025-10-01 - 2025-10-03 | Italian Cultural Institute, 2 Chome-1-30 Kudanminami, Chiyoda City, Tokyo, 102-0074, Japan
AIA Japan is proud to support the 39th Architecture in Perspective International Conference, hosted by the American Society of Architectural Illustrators (ASAI). This year’s theme, ASAI in ASIA: Past / Present / Future / Now, explores the evolving role of architectural visualization in design practice and communication.
AIA Japan Members can register under the “ASAI Member” category to receive the member discount.
REGISTER HERE!

Gallery Ma Exhibition Tour: Emerging Architecture, Own Ways
2025-10-11 10:00 - 11:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | TOTO GALLERY · MA, Minamiaoyama, 1 Chome−24−3 TOTO乃木坂ビル, Minato City, Tokyo, 107-0062, Japan
Join AIA Japan for a special guided tour of Gallery MA’s exhibition Emerging Architecture, Own Ways — featuring twenty dynamic teams of architects born after 1980 whose designs were selected for the Expo 2025 Osaka.Through models, sketches, and documentation, the exhibition reveals how Japan’s next generation of architects is reshaping design—experimenting with new construction methods, recycled materials, and inclusive spaces that welcome all. More than an Expo project, it’s a glimpse into the future of architecture in Japan.
Free admission. CES credits available for AIA Members. Bring a friend or colleague!
REGISTRATION LINK
Registration is open on our Peatix App
Gallery Ma Tour: Emerging Architecture, Own Ways
Date: Saturday, October 11, 2025Time: 10:00amLocation: Gallery Ma
After event: After the tour, we invite you to please join us to continue the conversation afterwards over coffee and casual brunch (paid by guests) nearby!
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

TOTO GALLERY・MA is holding a group exhibition, ” Emerging Architecture, Own Ways,” featuring twenty teams of architects born after 1980 who were selected through an Open-call Design Proposal process for the expo facilities, including rest areas, for the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.
In proposing facilities such as resting areas, restrooms, and satellite studios for the Expo, the twenty teams posed questions about society and architecture, repeating trial and error based on their hypotheses. These efforts include new approaches to industrialized construction and distribution, connecting with history, updating recycled materials and existing technologies, and rethinking architecture as a place that welcomes diverse people, providing an overview of the current state and challenges of architecture. At the same time, they listened to various opinions, both positive and negative, from all sides and stayed committed to making their vision a reality. This attitude toward architecture, which goes beyond the scope of the Expo, can be a driving force in innovating architecture in an era marked by increasingly complex social issues and uncertainty about the future.
The exhibition is a documentary that traces the struggles of the twenty teams who posed questions and realized their ideas while confronting complex situations, through drawings, models, and other materials displayed throughout the venue. Furthermore, it is also an attempt to highlight the key players in new architecture through their practices. We hope that this exhibition, which transcends the boundaries of the twenty teams and the Expo, will become a place where individuals striving to realize architecture in today’s society can share their ideas and discuss the future of architecture.

-TOTO GALLERY･MA

Discussion of the Exhibition
@Yuuki Nemoto

Exhibition Planning in progress (models and mock-ups)
@Jumpei Suzuki

＊The Open-call Design Proposal was held in 2022, and the juries were Sou Fujimoto, Akihisa Hirata, and Yasutaka Yoshimura.
Profile of Comittee and Exhibitors here:
Exhibition Committee: Kohei Kudo, Yusuke Komata, Keisuke Kiri, Naoyuki Kunikiyo
Supervisor: Akihisa Hirata
Advisor: Sou Fujimoto
Exhibitors:
GROUP
onishimaki+hyakudayuki / o+h
KIRI ARCHITECTS
Kohei Kudo & Associates
KUMA＆ELSA
studio m!kke+Yurica Design and Architecture+Studio on_site
Yusuke Komata / new building office
KOMPAS
t e c o
Shingo Saito Architects+Ateliers Mumu Tashiro
axonometric
Korogaro Association／Kengo Sato Architecture office
PONDEDGE+farm+VOID
nanometer architecture
MIDW+Niimori Jamison
Aki Hamada Architects: AHA
Mandai Architects
REI MITSUI ARCHITECTS
suzuko yamada architects
Takashi Yonezawa Architects

Community Night: My Japan Story SLAM (Member-led event)
2025-10-23 19:00 - 21:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | Baird Beer Nakameguro Taproom, Kamimeguro 2 Chome−1−3 中目黒ＧＴプラザ Ｃ棟 ２階, Meguro City, Tokyo, 153-0051, Japan
–Event Update: October Beer & Sketch Night Moved to November 23rd–
We’re moving our October 23rd Beer & Sketch Night to support AIA Japan member James Scott Brew, AIA, who is hosting a special storytelling event we encourage all members to attend!
Join us at Nakameguro Taproom for My Japan Story SLAM: CH-CH-CH-CHANGES, an evening of live, 5-minute personal stories on the theme of Change: Stories of transition and transformation.
Ten storytellers will share true stories that will make you laugh, reflect, and connect with the experiences of others living in Japan. The audience will vote for their favorites to crown the first-ever People’s Choice Story SLAM Winner!
Although stories are not specific to architecture, this event celebrates the art of storytelling—an essential part of architectural practice. As architects, designers, and planners, we use stories to frame ideas, communicate design intent, and connect people to place. And its going to be a fun time!
Note: This is not an official sponsored AIA Japan Event.
📅 Date: Thursday, October 23, 2025🕖 Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Doors open at 6pm📍 Location: Nakameguro Taproom🎟️ Event Info & Tickets

Ebisu Beer & Sketch Nite!
2025-11-20 19:00 - 21:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | 東京都
Ebisu Beer & Sketch Nite November 20th!
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

AIA Japan’s Beer & Sketch Nite!
It’s another chance to meet fellow AIA Japan members (and friends) and connect! No formalities, no agenda—just architects, beer, and questionable doodles. Buy your own drinks and food. Show up when you want, leave when you want. See you at PUB TAP+ in Ebisu!

Screening of Lewerentz Divine Darkness + Q&A with Director Sven Blume
2025-12-02 19:00 - 21:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | Theatre Image Forum, Shibuya, 2 Chome-10-2, Shibuya, 東京都, 150-0002, Japan
AIA Japan is proud to support a special Tokyo screening of Lewerentz: Divine Darkness, a 2024 feature documentary revealing the life and impact of Swedish architect Sigurd Lewerentz.
About the Film:
Sigurd Lewerentz (1885–1975) is internationally renowned as one of Sweden’s greatest architects, but due to his aversion to being interviewed and recorded, he has long been shrouded in mystery. Recently, however, a treasure trove of film and sound recordings of the ageing Lewerentz was found in a cellar in Lund, and it’s these recordings that form the basis of this captivating documentary. Lewerentz: Divine Darkness is a unique portrait of this enigmatic figure of 20th century architecture, whose work still resonates and inspires today.

A post-screening greeting and Q&A with director Sven Blume will follow.Approved for 2 AIA CES Learning Units.

Date: December 2, 2025
Time: 7:00pm
Venue: Image Forum Cinema, Shibuya
Film Length/Language: 70 min, Swedish and English with Japanese subtitles
How to Sign up / Tickets:
Tickets are purchased directly from Image Forum Cinema on their website or at the theater box office.
Ticket Prices:
Adults: ¥1,900 / University/College Students: ¥1,400 (Student ID required) / Seniors (60 and over): ¥1,400 / Members: ¥1,300 (Membership card required, same discount for up to one accompanying person) / Disability Discount: ¥1,300 (Disability card required, same discount for up to one accompanying person)

Sven Blume – Director Biography

Sven Blume is a Stockholm-based documentary ﬁlmmaker. He graduated from the Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts in 2013 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Documentary Film.
Since then, he has directed numerous documentary projects and collaborated across disciplines including ﬁne art, architecture, music videos, dance, and exhibitions.
His latest feature-length documentary, Lewerentz Divine Darkness (2024), explores the work of architect Sigurd Lewerentz and is his second ﬁlm on architecture. Since its world premiere, the ﬁlm has toured internationally with over 200 screenings at leading festivals, museums, universities, and cultural venues in 30 countries, alongside a national cinema and broadcast release in Sweden.
Blume’s previous ﬁlms include the award-winning Crooked Lines of Beauty – My Grandfather, the Architect Carl Nyrén (2021) and For Somebody Else (2020), a documentary on surrogate motherhood in the United States, as well as several short ﬁlms.
His work has received critical acclaim, winning awards and being screened worldwide in festivals, museums, galleries, cinemas, and on public broadcasters. In recognition of his contributions to ﬁlm, he became a member of the Swedish Film Academy in 2023.

2025 AIA JAPAN YEAR END PARTY+DESIGN AWARDS CELEBRATION
2025-12-13 18:30 - 21:30 UTC | Hotel Indigo, Gallery 11, 2 Chome-25-12 Dogenzaka, Shibuya, Tokyo, 150-0043, Japan
Dear Members, Friends, and Sponsors,
We’re excited to announce the 2025 AIA Japan Year-End Party + Design Awards Celebration will be held on the evening of Saturday, December 13th, 2025, at Gallery 11 and Terrace, Hotel Indigo Shibuya. Join us high above the city as we celebrate design excellence, community, and collaboration with panoramic views of Shibuya, accompanied by a seasonal dinner buffet or canapé service with free-flow wine, beer, and soft drinks.
REGISTER VIA PEATIX HERE!
Event Details:
Date: December 13 (Sat), 2025
Time: Doors open (and drinks start!) at 6:30pm, Presentation starts at 7:00pm
Venue: Gallery 11, Hotel Indigo Shibuya (11th floor)
Attire: Smart Casual
FREE for all attendees
This Event is Open to:
– AIA Japan Members / Member’s Guest
– AIA Japan Design Awards Winners & Jury Members
– AIAJ’s Sponsors/ Invited Guests

Ebisu Beer & Sketch Nite!
2026-01-29 19:00 - 21:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | 東京都
Ebisu Beer & Sketch Nite January 29!
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Starting off 2026, its AIA Japan’s Beer & Sketch Nite!
It’s another chance to meet fellow AIA Japan members (and friends) and connect! No formalities, no agenda—just architects, beer, and questionable doodles. Buy your own drinks and food. Show up when you want, leave when you want. See you at PUB TAP+ in Ebisu!

AIA Leadership Summit 2026
2026-02-11 - 2026-02-14 | Washington, D.C.
The premier advocacy & leadership training event
AIA Leadership Summit is the premier advocacy and leadership training event for AIA chapter leaders. The annual event is always one of AIA’s best attended leadership events—offering attendees a unique platform to engage in critical policy discussions with lawmakers while enhancing their leadership skills as AEC professionals and AIA chapter leaders.
AIA Leadership Summit 2026
AIALS 2026 is happening February 11–14, 2026, at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C. It’s your opportunity to connect with nearly 700 AIA members, volunteer leaders, and chapter executives from across the country. Over four days, you’ll strengthen your leadership skills, align advocacy with leadership for greater impact, and apply best practices in association management.
This year’s event highlights include:

A powerful keynote from April Rinne, futurist and author of Flux, sharing the “Flux Mindset”—empowering leaders to embrace change, rethink success, and turn uncertainty into growth and innovation.
Capitol Hill visits with members of Congress from your state to influence policy.
Excellence in Board Leadership, a focused half-day session for executive directors, presidents, and presidents-elect to elevate governance, strategy, and leadership excellence.
Carole Wedge, FAIA, AIA’s new EVP/CEO, offering firsthand insights into AIA’s strategic priorities and future direction.
Networking and community with hundreds of like-minded peers.
Curated CE tracks on association management, leadership, advocacy, chapter innovation, and member engagement.
Engagement with AIA staff across departments for personalized insights and support.
Insights on the latest legislative and policy developments shaping the profession—and how your voice can make an impact.

Use your voice, share your expertise, and make an impact—join us at AIA Leadership Summit 2026.
Register Today!
