AIA Japan

Michael Eliason: Low Carbon Living with Climate Adaptive Ecodistricts & Buildings
2024-02-22 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | Tokyo
Title: Low Carbon Living with Climate Adaptive Ecodistricts & Buildings
Session type: Presentation on topic for approximately 1-hour followed by discussion and questions. This session will focus on various threats posed by changing climate – and options available to mitigate them. Topics will include policy recommendations, blind spots in the building industry based on global experience and network, and areas of needed research to adapt to effects climate change will have on built environment. Discussion centered around a call to action from the audience.
Presenter: Michael Eliason: Founder, Larch Lab. Architect, author, Passivhaus specialist
Michael Eliason is the founder of Larch Lab – part architecture and urbanism studio, part ‘think and do’ tank – focusing on research and policy; decarbonized low-energy buildings; and climate adaptive urbanism. Michael is also a writer, and an award-winning architect specializing in mass timber, social housing, baugruppen (urban cohousing), and ecodistricts. His career has been dedicated to advancing innovation and broadening the discourse on sustainable development, passivhaus, non-market housing, and decarbonized construction. He serves on the board of Seattle’s new Passivhaus Social Housing Developer PDA. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech and became a Passivhaus consultant in 2010. His professional experience includes work in both the Pacific Northwest, and Germany.
Learning objectives:

Articulate the difference between climate mitigation, and adaptation
Explain the extreme impacts climate change will have on buildings and communities
Understand design strategies that can be employed to adapt to extremes
Understand the risk and potential liabilities of ignoring climate change and building science.

Problem statement: Our buildings were designed for a climate that no longer exists.
The weather data for building envelopes and mechanical systems is based on historic averages that have been superseded by the last decade of Climate Change. These averages do not take into account wildly divergent peaks/extremes or the climate zone migration that is occurring with Climate Change. We are just beginning to see the extremes related to wildfires, flooding, and heat – and the impacts will be far reaching.
In 2014, the Supreme Court of California found that architects owe a duty of care to occupants and residents of buildings. The rapidly deteriorating weather due to climate change are affecting buildings in ways out-of-date energy models could never have predicted. Extended wildfire smoke events. Deluges dropping more water than roofs and drains can handle. Overheating due to poor design, which can become deadly during heat events on building configuration at 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Attendees will learn about building threats from climate change extremes, ways to mitigate them, and possibilities for reducing risks and liability as planners
Are your buildings and housing designed to adapt to climate change, or will it facilitate dangerous and potentially deadly outcomes for residents? Architects, developers, and owners will need to rapidly pivot to adapting to these new changes. This session will cover some of the threats involved with Climate Change, what strategies design teams and owners should be employing to adapt, and what the ethical liability and implications may be in a rapidly devolving climate.
Topic area: Building planning for extreme climate events: How building design today is not designed to mitigate and adapt to a wildly changing climate. Mitigating liability for practitioners by understanding how our buildings will perform in heat domes, cold snaps, wildfire smoke events, deluges – and migrating climate zones.
3518 Fremont Ave N #372, Seattle, WA 98103 T +1.206.806.3605
M info@larchlab.com W larchlab.com

Ebisu Bar Nite Vol. 2
2024-02-01 18:30 - 22:00
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.

AIA Japan Past Presidents Dinner
2024-01-23 18:00 - 21:00
AIA Japan Past Presidents Dinner

6:00 PM 9:00 PM

2023 AIA JAPAN YEAR END PARTY+DESIGN AWARDS CELEBRATION
2023-12-17 17:00 - 20:00
Sunday, December 17th at 17:00 –
Dear Members, Friends, and Sponsors,
We’re excited to announce the 2023 AIA JAPAN YEAR-END PARTY + DESIGN AWARDS CELEBRATION. Join us on December 17, 2023, at the International House of Japan to celebrate a year of achievements and excellence.
Event Details:
– Date: PM 5:00-, December 17(Sun), 2023
– Venue: The International House of Japan
– Address: 5 Chome-11-16 Roppongi, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0032 〒106-0032 東京都港区六本木５丁目１１−16
– Website: [i-house.or.jp](http://i-house.or.jp)
– Phone: 0334704611
– Attire: Smart Casual

This Event is Open to:
– AIA Japan Members / Member’s Guest
– AIA Japan Design Awards Winners & Jury Members
– AIAJ’s Sponsors/ Invited Guests

Helena Capkova: Intersections of Central European and Japanese Modernisms / Bedřich Feuerstein and Antonin Raymond architects
2023-11-25 10:00 - 12:00
Helena Capkova:
Intersections of Central European and Japanese Modernisms / Bedřich Feuerstein and Antonin Raymond architects
Saturday, November 25 at 10 AM (JST)

SPEAKER BIO:
Helena Čapková is a Tokyo/ Kyoto/Prague based curator, researcher, and art/ architecture history professor at Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto. Since 2010, she has published and lectured extensively about the specific nature of Japanese modernism and avant garde that she considers as an inherent part of art history, traditionally perceived as Western. Her publications on this topic include: Transnational networkers – Iwao and Michiko Yamawaki and the formation of Japanese Modernist Design (2014), Believe in socialism … – architect Bedřich Feuerstein and his perspective on modern Japan and architecture (2016); English-Japanese publication – Antonin Raymond in Japan, 1948-1976, recollections of friends (2022) and Bedřich Feuerstein, architect. Prague-Paris-Tokyo (2022).
LECTURE SUMMARY:
Japanese and Czechoslovak modern architecture history share a surprisingly lot in common. The two countries intersected at the end of the WWI when the Czechoslovak Legions, the founding army troops of the Czechoslovak Republic, started leaving the Siberian front via Japan and as a consequence the first diplomatic contacts were established. The Czechoslovak embassy opened in 1920. Parallel to these developments, Antonín Raymond arrived in Japan from the US and established a successful architectural office in 1921. Raymond invited Feuerstein to join him in 1926 and the two architects created a number of projects in which they merged the foreign and local architectural traditions together. This lecture will introduce the legacy of B. Feuerstein and A. Raymond and their operational strategies in Japan where they worked before and after WWII.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After the lecture, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the situation in Japanese modernism in terms of relations towards foreign architects in the interwar period.
2. Discuss Japanese architectural modernism in the context of the international architectural scene.
3. Identify buildings by A. Raymond and B. Feuerstein and recognise differences in their design language.
4. Illustrate historical development in interwar Japanese architectural history by a specific set of architectural projects.
how to join the event:
Joining a lecture is free and easy to attend from anywhere!
When: Saturday, Nov 25, 2023 10:00am – 12:00 pm(JST)
Online Platform: Zoom Webinar (live broadcasting)
Registration Fee: Free
Organizer: AIA Japan
CES: 2LUs/HSW
watch recorded video

Visit to Gallery Ma: Tezzo Nishizawa’s Solo Exhibition: Chance Favors the Prepared Mind
2023-11-11 10:30 - 12:00
November 11, 10.30 am, JST
Gallery Visit
Architect Tezzo Nishizawa will personally guide AIA Japan members and friends though his new exhibit at TOTO GALLERY · MA in Tokyo, Japan. This is a casual visit – we encourage questions, comments, and discussions throughout.
Lecture/Exhibit Description
Architect Tezzo Nishizawa will conduct a walking lecture/tour through his exhibit, where he will describe his search for something as yet undiscovered: the kind of architectural planning that he hopes to pursue going forward. This effort to unearth the meaning of architectural plans that he has engaged with so far through an after-the-fact examination of the peripheral and fragmentary objects that they yielded, will, he hopes, open a door to the rich essence of architecture.

Lecture/Exhibit Objectives
1. Describe the meaning of architecture as “a peripheral phenomenon while its core defies articulation”.
2. Analyze how we can plan in advance the wealth of elements that form the core of architecture, yet remain beyond our reach, and how we can grasp the totality of the relationships among these elements.
3. Understand the meaning of “Chance favors the prepared mind” a proverb attributed to the microbiologist Louis Pasteur, as the exhibit explores chances of discovering the unexpected.
4. Explore how mental preparation and initiative will bring “good luck” and preparation is a prerequisite for our discovery of the true significance of a work of architecture.
Exhibition Description from Tezzo Nishizawa:
I sometimes think that architecture is a phenomenon that can only be described from the periphery, while its core defies articulation. We can ascertain architecture’s reality through written words, what we see with our own eyes, and the touch of our own hands. But I have always wondered how one can possibly plan in advance the wealth of elements that form the core of architecture, yet remain beyond our reach, and how we can grasp the totality of the relationships among these elements. We sense that while architecture has a physical form, what we really wish to grasp is something that only exists behind that form. Perhaps it is this aspect of architecture that inspires us the most. “Chance favors the prepared mind” is a proverb attributed to the microbiologist Louis Pasteur. One’s chances of discovering the unexpected are vastly improved by preparing for that possibility in advance; it is this mental preparation and initiative that brings “good luck.” Preparation is a prerequisite for our discovery of the true significance of a work of architecture; what we call planning may well mean the pursuit, from the outset, of something we have never searched for before. Furthermore, the drawings and models that emerge in the course of this search should serve as clues that will help us grasp architecture’s essence.
This exhibition is a project through which I am attempting to search for something as yet undiscovered: the kind of architectural planning I should pursue from this point on. This effort to unearth the meaning of the architectural plans I have been engaged with so far through an after-the-fact examination of the peripheral and fragmentary objects they yielded will, I hope, open a door to the rich essence of architecture.

Drawn to Architecture
2023-11-02 17:30 - 21:00
in-person event :
Drawn to Architecture
Thursday, November 2 at 17:30-20:30(JST)

program description:
Most architects sketch and draw to communicate their design ideas. Over time, some of us lose touch with those early skills as we grow in responsibilities and become engaged in other aspects of our work. However, the importance of quickly communicating our ideas remains the same. Whether you are an expert sketch artist or have always wanted to improve your basic sketching or water coloring techniques–this event is for you.
This mini-workshop, tour and social includes an evening with two professional illustrators from NIKKEN SEKKEI and will be held in NIKKEN’s new, world class collaboration space. There is time planned for learning, sketching and socializing. Please bring your sketchbook/pencils/pens, paints/paper, or iPad/tablet and be prepared to try something familiar or learn something new.
The venue is part of the inspiration and this event will be held in NIKKEN’s newest collaboration space called PYNT (ピント) which means ‘focus point’. PYNT is all about collaboration and innovation and is designed to create ‘controlled collisions’ between people from different departments, groups, cultures and companies. It is housed in NIKKEN’s newly re-certified LEED Gold (EB) and WELL Platinum certified headquarters. A 30-minute guided tour of the PYNT space will kick off the event and light food and beverages will be provided.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Participants will:

Learn and practice specific skills of interest to them (composition, silhouette, hatching, blocking/framing, speed, painting, digital solutions, etc.);
Become familiar with tools and techniques used by professional illustrators to shape a story;
Be able to think critically about a sketch or illustration’s purpose to help communicate an idea or design solution.
Be inspired to continue sketching, and utilize newly learned skills.

CES:
2LUs Approved

Takako TAJIMA, AIA NCARB ASLA Beautiful Seams: Utilizing Urban Rivers to Stitch Together a New Kind of Urbanism
2023-10-28 10:00 - 12:00
Takako TAJIMA, AIA NCARB ASLA
Beautiful Seams:
Utilizing Urban Rivers to Stitch Together a New Kind of Urbanism
Saturday, October 28 at 10am(JST)

SPEAKER BIO:
Takako Tajima is principal of Tajima Open Design Office and adjunct assistant professor at the University of Southern California. Like her background, Takako’s professional experience ranges in type, scale, and scope. Currently, she is contributing to a set of new objective design standards for the City of Palm Desert and designing the open space components of several housing projects being developed as part of California Department of Housing and Community Development’s Homekey initiative. At USC, Takako leads graduate level design studios and teaches in the Asian Architecture and Landscape Urbanism study abroad program for undergraduate architecture students.
LECTURE SUMMARY:
Throughout history, human settlements relied on rivers as sources of water and food, means of circulation and transportation, and places of recreation. The history of urbanization, however, is also the history of degraded riparian systems. This lecture will examine the plight of rivers in the 20th and 21st centuries and the prospects for urbanism when we reorient our cities to the rivers from which they emerged.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After the lecture, participants will be able to

Identify the differences between perennial rivers and intermittent rivers.
Describe the United States Army Corps of Engineers’ role and jurisdiction relative to rivers.
Define the purpose of the Clean Water Act.
Identify examples of point source and non-point source pollution.
Explain how the “watershed approach” differs from past approaches to environmental management.

Jorge Almazán: Rebuilding Public SPACE from the Bottom-up: Research and Practice from Japan
2023-07-29 10:00 - 12:00
Jorge Almazán: Rebuilding Public SPACE from the Bottom-up: Research and Practice from Japan
Saturday, July 29, 2023 10:00 – 12:00

SPEAKER BIO:
Jorge Almazán is an architect based in Tokyo and an associate professor at Keio University. After graduating from the Architecture School of the Polytechnic University of Madrid, he obtained his Ph.D. at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. His office, Jorge Almazán Architects, is committed to environmentally responsible and socially inclusive projects. His awarded architectural designs for urban regeneration include the First Prize of the Ota City Urban Landscape Award (2019) and the Japan Institute of Architects’ Excellence Award (2018, 2022). He recently published “Emergent Tokyo: Designing the spontaneous city” (Oro Editions, 2021) and its Japanese version (Gakugei Shuppan, 2022).
LECTURE SUMMARY:
Drawing from research and design practice in Japan, Jorge Almazán will argue for the significance of architecture and urban design to rebuild the public realm in a bottom-up, emergent way. He will connect the research in his latest publication—Emergent Tokyo: Designing the Spontaneous City—with his projects and public space interventions in Japan.
A wealth of publications contends that Japan historically lacks a sense of publicness. Some attribute this to the absence of a pre-Meiji Period equivalent word to “public” in Japanese. Others suggest Japan’s lack of Western-style civic traditions. This lecture rejects this view as cultural essentialism that denies the importance of public space in Japan. Almazán builds the case for architecture and urban design as one of the primary devices that any society (Western or not) has in order to create and enhance public life.
This lecture will tackle this issue in the two radically different built environments to which Japan is gradually polarizing. The presentation’s first half focuses on Tokyo as Japan’s prime metropolitan agglomeration. Almazán will show how postwar Tokyo developed an emergent publicness that is alive today. However, it is increasingly under threat from neoliberal urban policies favoring the large-scale corporate redevelopment of its central neighborhoods.
The second half will focus on projects led by the speaker, primarily in small-city Japan. Through mapping, interventions in public space, and renovations of abandoned houses into community spaces, Almazán explores the benefits and difficulties of enhancing the public realm in the suburbanized and car-dependent environment of regional Japan.
Since the 1990s, cities worldwide have made a “neoliberal turn” in their policies, leaving the task of designing public space to the so-called market forces. Japan is no exception. As a result, Tokyo and many small cities across Japan have lost their vibrant streets and communities. How can architecture contribute to amending this tendency? What is the role of the architect in rebuilding public space? The final part of this lecture will address these questions and suggest possible answers on how to rebuild public life from the bottom up.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After the lecture, participants will be able to
1. Discuss public space as a fundamental realm in any human habitat, avoiding the cultural essentialism that often revolves around the discussion on Japanese cities.
2. Describe specific features in Tokyo’s urbanism that allowed the city to build a unique public realm from the bottom up.
3. Identify the differences between public spaces in Tokyo and small Japanese cities. Examine the common challenges Japanese small cities share with other suburbanized regions worldwide.
4. Verify the potential and the limitations of a bottom-up approach to public space through the study of real interventions.
watch recorded video

City Regeneration Through Design
2023-07-20 16:00 - 18:00
Northglass Symposium In Tokyo
Date: 20 July 2023
Venue: International House of Japan
Title: City Regeneration Through Design
Since the implementation of the Urban Renaissance Special Measures Act of 2002, large-scale redevelopment has accelerated in the central areas of Tokyo, dramatically transforming the urban landscape. This change has significantly impacted not only our living environment but also the values we associate with the city. In this symposium, we aim to evaluate the significance of urban regeneration brought about by recent large-scale urban development and discuss its potential.
City needs to be sustainable for many generations as well. We all are responsible to keep this earth and urban environments sustainable and all designers are committed to this never-ending responsibility. Using Azabudai project and others, the lecture will explore architects responsibility as well as the importance of the collaborative works with designers and clients.
The lecture will also examine the specific process and contents of pre-design, using Azabudai Hills, as an example. The lecture address the dialogue between the developer and the architects as it relates to the pre-design process, using the podium of the buildings at Azabudai Hills, designed by the Heatherwick Studio, as a case study.
Lecture objectives

Identify design strategies to create sustainable and better urban environments.
Describe the importance of the creative collaborations to make the urban space more exciting.
Explain the outline and process of pre-design by the project proponent
Analyze the differences between the perspectives of the business (developer) side and the architect’s side in the ultimate design proposal.

HSW Justification
Specifically, by learning about the project planning and design strategies of large-scale urban redevelopment, we will deepen our understanding of the sustainability and mechanism of city regeneration through large-scale redevelopment that impacts the health, safety and welfare of the residents. Business strategy is an essential element for the success and regeneration of urban development, while the value of design enhances the sustainability and quality of the urban environment and urban life by improving health, safety and welfare of the citizens.

Robert Hutchison: In Search of a Holistic Practice: Architecture, Speculation, Installation
2023-07-13 19:00 - 21:00
Robert Hutchison:
In Search of a Holistic Practice: Architecture, Speculation, Installation
Thursday, July 13, 2023 19:00 – 21:00 (doors open at 18:30)
at the Arper showroom in gaienmae (see MAP)

SPEAKER BIO:
Robert Hutchison is a practitioner, researcher, and educator whose interests and practice overlap the fields of architecture, art and photography. In 2013 Hutchison established the architecture studio Robert Hutchison Architecture based in Seattle, Washington. Hutchison is an Affiliate Associate Professor in the Department of Architecture at the University of Washington, where he teaches architectural design studios at the undergraduate and graduate levels. He is the recipient of the 2017 Rome Prize from the American Academy in Rome, the 2010 Japan/US Friendship Creative Artists Fellowship, the 2009 Emerging Voices awarded by The Architectural League of NY, a 2022 MacDowell Fellowship, and a 2024 Loghaven Fellowship. Hutchison is currently in Japan on a 4-month Creative Artists Fellowship awarded through the Japan/US Friendship Commission.
https://robhutcharch.com/
LECTURE SUMMARY:
Robert Hutchison will provide an overview of work developed by his eponymous practice since its founding ten years ago, focusing on the firm’s interest in exploring architecture through a balance of built work, speculative projects, and installation. Three projects will be presented in-depth: 1) Rain Harvest Home, constructed in 2020 as a design collaboration between Hutchison and Mexico City based architect Javier Sanchez; 2) Memory Houses, a five year long speculative project that investigates mortality and memory through the lens of architecture, and which was the subject of a 2019 solo exhibition at Casa Luis Barragan in Mexico City; and 3) Chapel for Luis Barragan, a temporary installation constructed on the rooftop of Luis Barragan’s studio as part of the 2019 exhibition.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After the lecture, participants will be able to
1. Describe the environmental as well as experiential role that rainwater plays in the Rain Harvest Home.
2. Identify the historical architectural sources that informed the designs for the eight structures that comprise the firm’s Memory Houses project.
3. Explain the importance that speculative work and installation play in the firm’s body of work.
4. Summarize the role of physical models in the working process of the firm.

Aaron Kelley, LEED AP, ASLA: Sense & The Singularity: Designing Tangible Landscapes in an Evolving Global Reality
2023-06-24 10:00 - 12:00
SPEAKER BIO:
As a Landscape Architect, Urban Designer, and Director at James Corner Field Operations, Aaron Kelley insists that creative and humane designs are best accomplished through rich interdisciplinary collaboration. Aaron has worked to enhance living systems around the world, focusing not only on the craft of placemaking, but also on the shape of our collective imagination. At Field Operations, he has led various projects, including NBCUniversal’s expanded studio campus in Los Angeles, the winning commission for Taopu Central Park in Shanghai, and the award-winning “Urban Metabolism” exhibit for the International Architecture Biennale in Rotterdam. In addition to his project work, Aaron is a guest lecturer and studio critic at various institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania, Rhode Island School of Design, and La Universidad Europea de Madrid.
Lecture Description:
Human habitat in the 21st century might be described by two, unprecedented themes:

The fragility and interconnectedness of environments impacted by humans (e.g. climate change, deforestation, etc.)
The emergence of virtual society as a new form of habitat, communication, and community (e.g. social media, artificial intelligence)

Through the lens of a contemporary landscape architecture practice, this presentation serves to remind us of the incalculable value of our tangible relationships with the earth and our communities. Together, we will navigate the intricacies of designing living systems at various scales, and uncover the potential for resilience, equity, and joy in every act of design.
Learning Objectives:
After attending the lecture, participants will be able to effectively:

Describe the evolving role of landscape architecture in the construction of resilient and equitable cities.
Advocate for the value of living environments in an increasingly virtual world; from the scale of the human body, to the scale of the garden, to the scale of the city.
Recognize opportunities to foster joy, fulfillment, and creativity through design and collaboration.
Embrace a renewed sense of inquiry into the scale and impact of each design project.

watch recorded video

Kimon Onuma, Stephen Hagan, and Machines: Ai:AIA - Bimstorm a charette for architects and machines
2023-05-27 10:00 - 12:00
saturday, may 27, 2023 10:00 – 12:00 (JST)
about Kimon Onuma, FAIA:
An architect with a rich international background and innovative approach to “Build Informed Environments.” Kimon has made significant contributions to the industry through his creation of over 40 BIMStorms, bringing together design professionals and industry specialists from around the world to collaborate on large-scale projects. He has worked with various federal agencies and is a thought leader in the field, serving on multiple committees and authoring influential industry journals. With a commitment to innovation and pushing the boundaries of what is possible in architecture, Kimon is a true visionary in the field.
about Stephen Hagan, FAIA, CCM:
An industry expert on technology and innovation, real estate, and the construction marketplace. Stephen is the President and CEO of Hagan Technologies LLC and has made significant contributions to the industry through his work on various initiatives, including the U.S. General Services Administration Public Buildings Service Project Information Portal and the AIA TAP Innovation Awards Program. Stephen is also a thought leader in the field of smart, connected, sustainable, and resilient cities, providing strategic planning and consulting services in this area. An industry expert on technology and innovation, real estate, and the construction marketplace. Stephen is the President and CEO of Hagan Technologies LLC and has made significant contributions to the industry through his work on various initiatives, including the U.S. General Services Administration Public Buildings Service Project Information Portal and the AIA TAP Innovation Awards Program. Stephen is also a thought leader in the field of smart, connected, sustainable, and resilient cities, providing strategic planning and consulting services in this area.
about Artificial Intelligence Agents:
Dedicated to advancing the field of architecture through innovation and collaboration. As part of the AiAIA BIMStorm Charrette, these Ai Agents work alongside architects and their tools to push the boundaries of what is possible in architectural design. With their help, we can unlock new possibilities and create a world where architecture is more sustainable, intelligent, and efficient than ever before.
SUMMARY:
Get ready to embark on a journey where technology and creativity converge! We invite you to participate in our upcoming BIMStorm event, “AI.AIA – Humans, Machines & Architects Unite,” where we explore the powerful collaboration between architects, AI agents, and other stakeholders in the design, construction, and operation of facilities. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in facility design, construction, and operation is revolutionizing the industry, fueling both excitement and apprehension as professionals navigate this rapidly evolving landscape.
Building on the success of our recent BIMStorm focused on Asset Management, this event highlights the importance of involving creative participants and AI machines to ensure project success. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Tokyo, we’ll dive into creating innovative, green, and energy-efficient designs that promote resilience and add value to the cityscape.
What to expect:
Engaging hands-on sessions with leading industry experts and AI agents.
Collaborative charrettes harnessing the power of AI for design optimization, research, and information gathering.
Insightful discussions on sustainable design, energy efficiency, and urban resilience.
Interactive demonstrations showcasing the use of AI agents, such as ChatGPT, to generate program requirements, create BIMs using cloud-based BIM apps, and set up complex tasks.
Networking opportunities with forward-thinking professionals in the AEC industry.
This BIMStorm event, led by two prominent architects with a long history of BIM, technology, and design, is a unique opportunity to be part of the future of architecture, engineering, and construction. Together, we can shape the built environment by leveraging the collective intelligence of humans, machines, and architects.
Don’t miss out on this exciting and transformative experience! Stay tuned for more information on registration, event schedule, and speakers.
Share your excitement and join the conversation using the hashtag #BIMStormAIAIA on social media. We look forward to seeing you there!

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Discover how collaboration between architects, AI agents, and stakeholders can empower informed decisions related to health, safety, and welfare in building design and construction, ultimately enhancing the value and impact of their work.
Gain insights into sustainable and resilient design principles for urban environments, emphasizing energy efficiency, green practices, and occupant well-being, enabling the design of safer and healthier spaces through the collaboration of humans and machines.
Learn how to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents and cloud-based BIM applications for generating program requirements, optimizing designs, and improving the lifecycle of facilities throughout the design process, thereby increasing proficiency in cutting-edge technologies and workflows.
Recognize the benefits of enhanced communication and collaboration between architects, stakeholders, and AI tools in driving project outcomes and contributing to safer, healthier, and more sustainable built environments.

​
By participating in this 90-minute BIMStorm, attendees will gain valuable insights into the potential applications of AI in architecture and urban design, while addressing the critical HSW considerations that contribute to the well-being of occupants and the community through a collaborative approach with AI agents.
bim storm event website

Heatherwick Studio - Exhibition Tour at Mori Art Museum
2023-05-25 18:00 - 20:00
Thursday, May 25 · 6 – 8pm JST
Update: Craig Miller, head of Heatherwick’s Shanghai studio, will guide us through their first exhibition in Japan “Building Soulfulness.”
SUMMARY:
Heatherwick Studio’s first solo exhibition in Japan ‘Building Soulfulness’ organised and curated by the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, will feature 28 of the studio’s most iconic designs including, a full-scale model of Airo, the car that cleans the air as it drives, London’s re-designed double decker bus and Little Island, a ‘floating’ public park in New York City. The show was curated by the celebrated Mami Kataoka, formerly International Curator of the Hayward Gallery in London. All exhibition images credit to: Taquel Diniz.
Thomas Heatherwick said:
“Over the last three decades my team and I have been passionately trying to create impactful, relatable projects that make our lives more meaningful and joyful. It’s now thrilling to be able to showcase such a vast collection of our work in Japan, where respect for design thinking and craftsmanship is unrivalled. I hope visitors will leave the show feeling like their emotions have not just been respected, but were an essential part of our thinking and fascination!”
Mami Kataoka, the Director of the Mori Art Museum and the curator of the exhibition said:
“Experiencing the true scale of architecture in an art gallery is not easy. For ‘Building Soulfulness’ I’ve looked for ways to showcase the essential philosophy and spirit of Heatherwick Studio’s design by providing six distinct perspectives. The sets designed by the Studio, combined with the grand Tokyo cityscape seen from the Tokyo City View observation deck, will immensely enhance the viewers’ exhibition experience. It is my sincere hope that the show would speak to everyone’s soul.”
The exhibition explores the idea scaling up the soulfulness frequently associated with small objects and the central role of craftsmanship in the studio’s design approach. Divided into six main sections, the show delves into the creative approach and process that the studio applies to each project emphasising the belief that no matter what the scale or budget, each design can have a human scale, embrace the natural world and connect with the environment around it.
The exhibition is an immersive experience, visitors can explore the projects through models on display, playful objects, video content and large-scale images hanging from the ceiling, offering a variety of vistas and viewpoints that evoke the three-dimensionality of the studio’s work.

Dr. Peter Kuczia: Archetypes of Solar Architecture Co-Hosted By: NRW Global Business Japan and AIA Japan
2023-05-23 19:00 - 21:00
Tuesday, May 23, 2023 19:00 – 21:00 (Networking and Refreshments Afterwards)
SPEAKER BIO:
Peter Kuczia is an educator and expert in sustainable constructions with more than twenty years of experience. In 2008 he completed his Ph.D. dissertation on solar architecture in Germany. He is an author of ‘Educating Buildings – Learning Sustainability through Displayed Design’. He has been awarded multiple international prizes, including International Design Award (US), Iconic Award (DE), DNA Paris Design Awards (FR), LICC London Creative Competition (UK), German Design Award (DE), a national nomination to the Mies van der Rohe Award for European Architecture, and many others. His work has been exhibited and published around the world. He is a jury member in international competitions and initiator and curator of the Design that Educates Awards.
LECTURE DESCRIPTION:
The presentation defines the concept of solar architecture and shows its spectrum and significance. In his dissertation, Kuczia has analyzed hundreds of solar buildings in Germany and, on this basis, identified 12 archetypical solutions that occur separately or grouped together in every existing solar building. Knowledge of this classification enables the designer to make an informed choice of possible solar solutions and to design architecture that makes reasonable use of solar radiation. Kuczia presents and discusses individually these solar archetypes, illustrating each of them with his own build projects and designs. Solutions of this type often go unnoticed by the users and visitors of buildings. With the “Educating Buildings” concept, it is possible to communicate such solutions by displaying them directly in buildings. In this way, buildings can informally educate their users – as evidenced by the concept implemented by the author at Solarlux-Campus in Germany.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Learn about solar architecture. Understand how it manifests itself in the built environment and why it is relevant today?
Identify 12 design solutions that give buildings a solar character as a tool to support architect’s design work.
Analyze how these solutions can be applied in practice – illustrated by the author’s exemplary projects
Apply concept of “Educating Buildings“ that shows how buildings can informally educate the sustainable solutions they represent: Buildings as Exhibits.

Ellen Lou(SOM): Reactivating Cities - Accelerating Urban Regeneration to Save Our Downtowns
2023-04-15 10:00 - 12:00
Saturday, April 15, 2023 10:00am – 12:00 pm(JST)
SPEAKER BIO
Ellen Lou, FAIA, AICP, LEED-AP BD+C
Principal, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Ellen Lou works at the forefront of urban regeneration, advancing new development models and climate-adaptive design strategies for cities across North America and Asia. As a principal for SOM’s City Design Practice, she tackles the complex challenges of urban transformation, integrating priorities for cultural preservation, social equity, ecological resilience, and economic vitality into actionable visions. In the San Francisco Bay Area, she has shaped the development of key neighborhoods, from San Francisco’s Transbay District to San Jose’s Downtown and Diridon Station Area. Her master plans for innovation communities and academic campuses have set the stage for public-private investment in California, Salt Lake City, and Shanghai. In Asia, her pioneering strategies for district-scale preservation and catalyzing ecological restoration through new town development have influenced development throughout the region. Ellen serves on the boards of the Institute for Transportation Development Policy (a global NGO), SPUR, a San Francisco Bay Area urban policy think tank, and the Visiting Committee for the Department of Urban Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
LECTURE SUMMARY:
American cities are facing a major crisis. As we transition into the post-pandemic era, people have not returned to work in the Central Business Districts (CBDs) as intensely as pre-pandemic time. Office vacancies remain stubbornly high in these districts. Companies with jobs that could be performed online and provided employees the options for hybrid work (in-person and remote). As a result, many cities are increasingly facing the challenge of empty downtowns, business closure and reduced tax revenue. Many cities also lost residential population, as people moved to the suburbs and even other cities or regions that can afford them more space, amenities, and better environment. The urban exodus further exacerbates the decline of urban centers. Are downtowns dying? Urban centers could recover from the impact of the pandemic and changing demands if downtowns could adapt for a hybrid workplace future and offer attractive culture, entertainment, lifestyle choices, and a sustainable environment. Then these urban centers would thrive again. In fact, many of these trends are not new as evident by the vibrant mixed-use urban districts of some of the growing cities. The post pandemic trends just accelerated the need for transformation. This presentation discusses the challenges cities’ face, current trend, and shifts inclusion best practices to reactivate downtowns through workplace adaptations, residential conversion; Integrate education, sports, cultural attraction, entertainment destinations as catalyst for transformation; place making through design; and climate adaptation that will transform our downtowns for a resilient and carbon neutral future.
Case studies in North America and the Pacific Rim will be introduced to demonstrate the urban design and planning approaches, policies and lessons learned.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After this session, participants will be able to:
1. Identify challenges and current trend downtowns face in the post pandemic era

High office vacancies, loss of downtown workers, shorter work week
Diversity in business trends
Loss of tax revenue

Describe the urban design and planning approaches for livable and sustainable placemaking:

High levels of walkability
Mixed-use districts
A strong sense of place and social cohesion
People-friendly public realm

Utilize strategies to create healthy and safe places which includes:

Introducing a safe and convenient movement network within the neighborhood.
Encourage healthy and green transport by creating complete streets for both pedestrian and bicycle circulation.
Integrate sports and health-care facilities in the community

Apply urban design approaches to enhance the well-being of the residents:

Create a diverse range of experiences for recreation and entertainment.
Introduce a network of public open spaces at different scales and for a variety of uses and users.
Promoting the creation of educational institutions in the area for continued learning.
Create fitness opportunities in a neighborhood

Identify the Sustainable and Climate Adaptation features of an urban center, including

High-density, compact transit-oriented development which reduces the regional carbon footprint and emissions.
Integrate the park design with architectural sustainability programs and opportunities to re-create environmental ecosystems.
Convert wide roadway to open spaces incorporating storm water treatment and recycling of wastewater on-site for reused in the buildings and irrigation.

Christian Dimmer: Connecting the Dots: Creating Resilient Communities through Transition Design
2023-02-24 19:00 - 21:00
Connecting the Dots: Creating Resilient Communities through Transition Design
Friday, February 24, 2023 19:00 – 21:00
Christian Dimmer is Associate-Professor for Urban Studies at Waseda University’s School of International Liberal Studies (SILS). He graduated with honours from the inter-disciplinary Spatial and Environmental Planning program of the Technical University of Kaiserslautern, Germany. Christian earned his PhD from The University of Tokyo on the emergence of public space concepts in Japanese modern urban planning. As a JSPS post-doc at Tokyo University’s Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies, he researched the politics and representations of public space in contemporary Japan. Christian served as an Assistant Professor for Urban Design Studies at The University of Tokyo between 2012 and 2016 and for Urban Studies as Waseda between 2016 – 2021. He also taught courses on urban commons, participatory place-making, planning theory, global urbanism, as well as public and private in the city at Keio University and at Sophia University. He is co-founder of the charitable disaster response organisations Tohoku Planning Forum as well as the Alliance for Humanitarian Architecture. Christian is part of the planning firm Frontoffice Tokyo. His research interests are the emergence of human-centered design theories and practices, new urban commons, transition design, policy mobilities with focus on co-housing and Doughnut Economics.
Registration: http://ptix.at/G6aAJ6

SUMMARY:
Global environmental problems such as climate change, rapid loss of biodiversity and resource depletion have gained rapid prominence on political agendas worldwide, while man-made infrastructure systems and cities have grown more complex yet more vulnerable. Not least the COVID19 pandemic, the Russian Invasion in Ukraine and frequent recent disasters have revealed the vulnerability of highly interdependent, globalised food, energy, or trade systems. Today’s pervasive, interrelated ‘wicked problems’ differ significantly in scale and complexity from those ‘tame problems’ of the past which could be addressed through incremental clean technologies and local policy responses. Although the socio-ecological problems of today require substantive ‘transitions’ in the near future, established professions and institutions are slow to respond.
These required system changes in the energy, transport, community, housing or agri-food systems are ‘socio-technical’ because they not only entail new technologies, but also changes in markets, mindsets, social practices, political cultures and deep-rooted cultural meanings and values. The emergent domain of transition design acknowledges the fact that we live in ‘transitional times’ with perpetual change finally seen as ‘the (new) normal’. Accordingly, transition design takes as its central premise the need for ‘rolling’ socio-environmental and socio-technical transitions to move to more sustainable futures and argues that design thinking has a key role to play. Transition design applies an understanding of the interconnectedness of social, economic, political & natural systems. It seeks to develop synergistic, networked, emergent solutions at all levels of spatio-temporal scale and in ways that directly improve the quality of life and safeguard human-centred development. It advocates the re-conception of entire lifestyles, with the aim of making them more place-based, convivial & participatory and harmonising them with the natural environment.
In this lecture we will first examine the complexity of so-called wicked problems —problems that are difficult or impossible to solve because of their complex and co-dependent nature. We will discuss a system of possible metrics that help to assess the appropriateness of transition design interventions. In the second part, we will explore novel, existing design interventions mostly from Japan that are living up to the holistic principles of transition design, as they were developed by scholars at The School of Design at Carnegie Mellon University. Lastly, the lecture will conclude with a discussion of concepts like ‘cosmopolitan localism’ (Manzini), ‘pluriverse’ (Escobar), or ‘inter-localisation’ (Iwasaki) that promise a positive way forward, towards more empowered, resilient communities in an age of intensifying planetary crises.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After attending this program, participants will be able to:

explore how the profound social, environmental and economic crises are impacting cities and rural regions, and how governments, the corporate sector as well as community activists and citizens are responding,
map and analyse a ‘wicked problem’ and identify its related ‘leverage points’,
discuss different concepts for assessing the appropriateness of transition/ social design interventions,
examine how change-makers, creative communities, or social innovators are experimenting with alternative social, economical, environmental, architectural, as well as place-making practices and lifestyles.

2022 AIA Japan Year End Party + Design Awards Ceremony
2022-12-11 19:00 - 21:00
2022 AIA Japan Year End Party + Design Awards Ceremony
Sunday, December 11, 2022, 17:00 – 19:00 Japan TIME
DESIGN AWARDS CEREMONY
Winners Presentation
See Winners
Event Program(Invitation Only)

AIA Japan Members FREE (10,000 JPY)
AIA Japan Design Awards Winners & Jury Members FREE (10,000 JPY)
Invited Guests FREE (10,000 JPY)
Email invitation will be sent to AIA Japan members and guests.

Note
AIA Japan Member`s Guest

5,000 JPY
Collected at the door (Cash only)

QUESTIONS
The AIAJ Event Committee: mail@aiajapan.org
Venue
The International House of Japan

5 Chome-11-16 Roppongi, Minato City, Tokyo 106-0032
〒106-0032 東京都港区六本木５丁目１１−16

Website: i-house.or.jp
Phone: 0334704611

Creating a Forest in the City: Pioneering Wood Structure in Architecture by Kazuyoshi Kimura (Shelter Inc.)
2022-10-28 19:00 - 21:00
Online Lecture: Creating a Forest in the City: Pioneering Wood Structure in Architecture
by Kazuyoshi Kimura (Shelter Inc.)
FRIDAY, OCT 28, 2022 19:00 – 21:00JST (18:30 – 19:00 is a test session)
BIO:
Kazuyoshi Kimura, Chairman and Founder of Shelter Inc.
Graduated from the Department of Architecture, Ashikaga Institute of Technology in1972. In 1973, he studied at the Graduate School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University in the United States. Established Shelter Home Co., Ltd. (now Shelter Inc.) in 1974. He and Shelter revolutionized wooden architecture in Japan with the development of the joint hardware construction method “KES system” and the wooden fireproof technology “COOL WOOD”. Established the Japan Fireproof Timber Building Association and assumed the post of chairman in 2014. Currently the vice-chairman of the Council for Promoting Timber Buildings in Cities, and the chairman of the Yamagata Prefecture Association of Invention and Innovation.
SUMMARY:
In this lecture, CEO Kazuyoshi Kimura will introduce the innovative work in wood structure being pioneered by Shelter. Inc. Included will be examples of their latest mid-to-high-rise timber buildings using the innovative joint hardware construction methods and wooden fireproofing technology, as well as examples of artistic timber architecture using 3D precut technology. Using these unique technologies, Shelter will explain how they achieve their goal to create a forest in the city, and an eco-friendly “Timber City.”
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After attending this program, participants will be able to:

Explain the various benefits to the environment by using wood structure instead of steel or concrete.
Describe the simple but strong steel joinery system that allows wood structure members to be erected quickly and with great strength.
Investigate the fireproofing method that allows wood structures to have a 1, 2, and 3 hour fire rating, making it comparable to steel and concrete and allowing it to be used in high rise structures.
Explore the flexibility of wood as a dynamic building material that is suitable for many modern designs.

CES:
2.0 LU/HSW
watch video

Japan Institute of Architects (JIA) 2022 Okinawa Architect Convention
2022-10-19 - 2022-10-22
In-Person Event:
Japan Institute of Architects (JIA) 2022 Okinawa Architect Convention
October 19 – 22
The JIA President Naomi Sato and JIA International Relations Committee invited Jane Frederick, FAIA (2020 AIA National President) to International President`s Forum. George Kunihiro, FAIA (Past President of ARCASIA and AIA Japan) and Segene Park, AIA (Immediate Past President of AIA Japan, 2023-2024 AIA International Secretary-elect) was also invited as a guest.
SUMMARY:
It was a three-day convention that brought together hundreds of architects from Japan. This year, Okinawa celebrates the 50th anniversary of its reversion and the convention focused on conservation, heritage, and cultural identity.
The first day of the convention, Dr. Abu Sayeed M. Ahmed (President of ARCASIA) talked about conservation in Bangladesh, Farhana Sharmin Emu (Chairperson of ARCASIA AHPG) talked about Heritage Preservation Group`s activities, Dr. In-Souk Cho (Former International Co-director, UIA WP Heritage Cultural Identity) talked about reconstruction of SungNyeMun in Korea, Yuzuru Tsukagawa and Shun Hori (Architects of Nihon Sekkei) showed a video explaining Kumamoto castle reconstruction observation path, and Haruhisa Uejima (Representative of JIA Heritage Architect School) talked about their activities.
Shortly after the presentation, JIA President Naomi Sato hosted the panel discussion. The panelists were Jane Frederick, FAIA (2020 the American Institute of Architects National President), Sumpalung Chana, ASA (President of The Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage), Chungyu Shin, KIRA (President’s Representative of Korea Institute of Registered Architects), Eui Young Chun, KIA (President of Korean Institute of Architects). They shared their ideas about how we can preserve modern architecture. There were only a few invited guests at the Yashio-sou Yara Hall, however, it was broadcasted on YouTube and recorded. The guests were Masaharu Rokushika (Immediate Past President of JIA), Jeyu Park, KIA (Immediate Past President of KIA), Dr. Howon Kang, KIRA, George Kunihiro, FAIA (Past President of ARCASIA and AIA Japan), Segene Park, AIA (Immediate Past President of AIA Japan, 2023-2024 AIA International Secretary-elect), and other distinguished guests.
Right after the President`s Forum, the opening party was held at the Sunset Cruise. During the party, JIA President Naomi Sato played saxophone to entertain the participants.
The second day began with a private tour of the reconstruction site of Shuri Castle. The castle was destroyed by fire in 2019. Based on the discovery of maintenance records in Tokyo, architects have produced drawings with the advice of many experts over the past two years. The construction will take place over the next four years, and for the construction, Japanese cypress timbers are still gathering from all over Japan and are slowly drying in the temporary building.
After the visit to Shuri Castle, the guests were guided to the main symposium at the Naha Culture and Arts Theater, where the opening ceremony, awards ceremony, lectures, and panel discussions were held.
In the evening, a reception party was held for JIA members and guests at the Okinawa Harborview Hotel, and the Japanese emperor came and stayed the next day.
The reception started with the opening video taken the previous day and the Japanese traditional opening ceremony of a cask of sake. The Okinawa dance and Karate performance entertained the participants. Also, there was a greeting message from the JIA Okinawa Chapter, followed by the announcement of next year’s convention venue by the Tokai Chapter. JIA has 9 chapters in Japan and a chapter in China.

ARCHITECTURAL TOUR WITH OSAMU WATANABE: New Residential Environment Found in JOHNSON TOWN
2022-10-15 11:30 - 15:00
In-Person Event:
ARCHITECTURAL TOUR WITH OSAMU WATANABE: New Residential Environment Found in JOHNSON TOWN
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2022 @ 11:30 ~ 16:00 JST
JOHNSON TOWN is a residential area located in Iruma City, Saitama Prefecture.
Before the war, it was known as Japan’s Iruma Air Base for Japanese military personnel, while after the war, it was called “JOHNSON AIR BASE” with a housing area for U.S. military personnel. The houses in Johnson Air Base were known as “U.S. Army House”. Approximately 20 years after the full return of Johnson Air Base to Japan, those buildings were completely dilapidated, and the town had almost become a slum.
Osamu Watanabe of Osamu Watanabe Architects involved after Tatsuo Isono, the current owner of Isono Shokai, became a president. The architect who had studied community-oriented residential development in the United States, started a new project to restore the town by renovating and re-using existing houses as well as building new houses. There are 23 single-story U.S. Army Houses remaining in this town, and the lifestyle of living in old U.S. Army Houses has emerged among some young Japanese. The town has been gradually developed over nearly 20 years since its conception. Now the town fosters a high-quality and unique townscape and lifestyle. It is highly evaluated as an alternative to conventional residential area developments.
The town has now evolved into a place where:

Young people can leave their jobs and realize their dreams.
Housewives raising children can pursue their dreams.
Retired senior citizens can realize their dreams.
People with disabilities can continue to live and work.

ZAK World of Facades, The World’s Premier Conference On Facade Design & Engineering by SCHUCO
2022-10-12 08:00 - 18:00
In-Person Event:
ZAK World of Facades, The World’s Premier Conference On Facade Design & Engineering
by SCHUCO
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2022 @ 08:00 ~ 17:35 JST
ZAK World of Facades, The World’s Premier Conference On Facade Design & Engineering, will be held in Tokyo for the very first time!
Program Synopsis
15-20 guest speakers will provide you with new knowledge and perspective on facade design and technologies. This is a great opportunity for architects to learn new products, technologies, trend, and meet people for networking.
As a main sponsor of the event, Schueco Japan will be inviting Oliver Hans, senior innovation manager at Schueco International, as a guest speaker.
This is an invite-only event! If you are interested, please make sure to register through ZAK website.

Please note that digital registration would not guarantee your attendance. As the capacity of the conference is limited by the venue due to the restrictions related to COVID-19, only those who receive a confirmation email from ZAK can attend the event.

Language
The official language of the event is Japanese. For English presentations, simultaneous translation will be provided on-site at the venue
CES:
8.0 LU/HSW for AIA Members

Persons who attend the entire program will earn CES Credits. You will have to sign up at the conclusion with your current AIA membership number to receive the credits.

Toto Gallery Ma Exhibition visit with Hirokazu Suemitsu SUEP. “Harvest In Architecture”
2022-09-03 10:00 - 12:00
In-Person Event:
Toto Gallery Ma Exhibition visit with Hirokazu Suemitsu SUEP. “Harvest In Architecture”
SATURDAY, september 3, 2022 10:00 ~ 11:45 JST
Program Synopsis
Mr. Hirokazu Suemitsu, principal architect of SUEP., will give AIAJ members an exclusive tour of his very popular exhibition “Harvest in Architecture” at the Toto Gallery Ma. This exhibition presents their unique view of sustainability and global environment through recent works and research.
SUEP. is an architect unit working internationally out of offices in Tokyo and Fukuoka. Making the Earth’s environment their primary focus, they have been utilizing simulation technology to study the behavior of natural elements such as wind and heat to develop environmental building designs for a new age where architecture exists symbiotically with nature through cycling energy and resources.
Language
The visit will be conducted in English. We encourage questions and hope to have interesting discussions.
CES:
2.0 LU/HSW
Venue: TOTO GALLERY·MA
3F, TOTO Nogizaka Bldg., 1-24-3 Minamiaoyama, Minato, Tokyo, Japan 107-0062 (1-minute walk from Exit 3 of Nogizaka Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line) TEL: 03-3402-1010
Registration Fee: Free
Organizer: AIA Japan
Description of the exhibition from the Toto Gallery Ma website:
TOTO GALLERY·MA is pleased to present the exhibition Harvest in Architecture by SUEP. (Hirokazu Suemitsu and Yoko Suemitsu).
What distinguishes SUEP. is the way they view architecture as an instrument for activating ecological processes. By focusing on natural features such as topography, groundwater systems, vegetation, and ecosystems and studying the action of wind, heat, and water with simulations to inform their designs, they have been working to construct buildings that integrate circular resource flows. Through taking a tolerant approach towards nature, they aim to enable people to enjoy the blessings of the Earth while contributing towards realizing a society where this can be done in a sustainable fashion. Additionally, they value the importance of enhancing the livability of buildings not only by improving functional performance but also by sharing with residents, users, and community members the joy of taking part in the circular flows.
The exhibition’s title, Harvest in Architecture, is an expression of the architects’ gratitude for being able to harvest the fruits of the Earth every day and also of their commitment to help ensure that we can continue doing so. The show will feature their research and investigations and shed light on how they have been connecting their findings to their circular building designs.
One could describe SUEP.’s work as a series of attempts to forge a new future by connecting architecture with our planet. What role can architects play in the effort to sustain the rich blessings of the Earth through coexisting with nature rather than exploiting it one-sidedly? The architects will put their ideas and experimentations on full display through this exhibition.
TOTO GALLERY･MA

Seeing green, Doing green: Biophilic Design and Environmentally-Responsible Behaviors by Erin M. Hamilton (Texas Tech University) ＆ Anne Herndon (Lake | Flato)
2022-07-16 10:00 - 12:00
Online Lecture:
Seeing green, Doing green: Biophilic Design and Environmentally-Responsible Behaviors
by Erin M. Hamilton (Texas Tech University) ＆ Anne Herndon (Lake | Flato)
Saturday, July 16, 2022 @ 10:00 – 12:00, JST (09:30 to 10:00: TEST SESSION)
SUMMARY:
The challenge of global climate change necessitates interdisciplinary problem solving. In the built environment sector, the pursuit of sustainability requires not only constructing and maintaining a green building, but ensuring that we consider how best to support the green behaviors of occupants within these buildings. On the university campus, green buildings are especially positioned to serve as places of environmental education and in turn, occupant awareness of green building features supports environmentally responsible behaviors (ERBs).
This project explores how occupants interpret the sustainability of two LEED certified buildings at the Universities at Shady Grove in the U.S. state of Maryland. The design of the first, the LEED Platinum Biomedical Sciences and Engineering Education Facility by Lake|Flato Architects & Cooper Carry, incorporated biophilic intent, while that of the second, a LEED Gold building, did not. In other words, the LEED Platinum building looks like a sustainable building, whereas the sustainability of the LEED Gold building could easily be missed. This mixed-methods study involves an online survey of building occupants, photograph-based methods, and follow-up interviews with a subset of occupants. The outcomes of this work contribute theoretically to our understanding of how to support and promote ERBs within green buildings. The integration of nature and natural analogues into the built environment through biophilic design promotes both physical and psychological well-being. This project aims to lay the foundation for discussing the role of biophilic design in promoting both personal and planetary well-being.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After attending this program, attendees will be able to:

Generate examples of the 14 Patterns of Biophilia in practice.
Identify high-impact green building and biophilic features that communicate sustainable design to building occupants.
Understand how biophilic design elements contribute to the creation of a restorative environment.
Identify opportunities for leveraging built architectural works to collect post-occupancy data about occupant perception and behavior.

CES:
2.0 LU/HSW
watch recorded video

Visit GA Houses Project 2022
2022-06-04 11:00 - 13:00
Visit GA Houses Project 2022
Yumiko Yamada (aia Japan)
Saturday, June 4, 2022 @ 11:00 JST
AIA Japan’s first face-to-face event of the year!
SUMMARY:
The GA Houses Project is an annual exhibition featuring over 51 ongoing residential projects around the world. AIA Japan Event Committee reserved the GA Gallery and bookshop on Saturday, June 4 for a private visit for AIA Japan members and friends. Nobuhiro Kitazawa, principal of Office of Nobuhiro Kitazawa, and Kurumi Inaba from Office of Ryue Nishizawa presented their house projects. After the presentation, the attendees had a discussion with the presenters and had lunch with everyone.
Hosted by Yumiko Yamada, 2022 AIAJ Secretary / Event Committee Chair / Partner of Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA

history – city – architecture – people: creating living environments by Moriko Kira (Moriko Kira Architect)
2022-05-27 19:00 - 21:00
Online Lecture:
history – city – architecture – people: creating living environments
by Moriko Kira (Moriko Kira Architect)
Friday, May 27, 2022 @ 19:00 – 21:00, JST (18:30 to 19:00: TEST SESSION)
AIA Japan’s first hybrid lecture was held on May 27 with IAUD and Meiji University.
SUMMARY:
Since 1992, I am travelling back and forth between Amsterdam and Tokyo.
It is my pleasure to be active be in the countries with completely different culture.
The Netherlands has a strong history of city planning and architecture since sixteenth century and as architect, either working on historic or new building, you are always aware of the relationship between city and architecture and its history. How people live together changes and architecture always reacts to these changes. The aging society, the polarization and diversification of society and the weakening ties of families and communities…. There are so many questions where we architects could try to give answers by creating new living environments.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After attending this program, attendees will be able to:

Explore the urban development of city of Amsterdam and how it has kept the quality of urban structure and architecture that sustain the health, safety and welfare of its residents.
Identify qualities of Amsterdam which support the sense of belonging to the surrounding.
Describe what are the important conditions of urban design to enhance the welfare of its residents including diversity and the inclusiveness.
Compare the nature of Bottom-Up developments and name the important conditions to nurture the mutual communications and support.
Identify the important roles of Bottom-Up organizations to succeed in creating healthy and safe living environment.

CES:
2.0 LU/HSW Pending for approval

Possibilities of In-Between Space by Ken Tadashi Oshima (The University of Washington)
2022-05-07 10:00 - 12:00
Online Lecture:
Possibilities of In-Between Space
by Ken Tadashi Oshima (The University of Washington)
Saturday, May 7, 2022 10:00 – 12:00JST (9:30 – 10:00 is a test session)
SUMMARY:
This talk examines architectural design processes between Japan and a global constellation of creators, cultures and contexts through time and space. Notions of translation will be explored as a dynamic, creative process of transformation through examples ranging from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Imperial Hotel in comparison to his Midway Gardens design in Chicago, to the work of contemporary architects from Kengo Kuma to RCR and beyond.!
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After attending this program, participants will be able to:

Describe building design strategies for international projects with differing site conditions.
Discuss the translation of design ideas in various cultural frameworks between various countries including Japan and the United States.
Describe design construction processes with varying building code regulations.
Describe lessons learned from post-occupancy evaluation of historic structures.

This lecture is the first one of two lectures that AIA Japan and I-AUD, Meiji University jointly host for Spring Semester 2022: https://iaud.jp/news/post-2022-05-02-233338/

2022 President Club Meeting
2022-05-05 12:00 - 15:00
2022 President Club Meeting
by Honorary Fellow Council on May 15
AIA Japan President Club meeting was held in KASHIWAYA in the RIVERSIDE POINT. https://www.nihonryouri-kashiwaya.jp/
Noborito is located in the natural scenery of the Tama River and the Tama Hills. The area was formerly used as a lodging for carpenters, plaster, craftsmen, and travelers.
Kashiwaya was founded in the 1830s on the Kutsukui Kado, which passed through Noborito, and has been operating daily with the support of local people, inheriting traditional freshwater fish dishes. In 2019, it was moved to the Tama Riverside.
Participants
2022 – Ar. Tomoaki Tanaka, AIA
2021 – Ar. Segene Park AIA
2020 – Ar. Leo Nishimura, Int’l Assoc. AIA
2019 – Ar. Akira Nakamura AIA
2018 – Ar. Daishi Yoshimoto AIA
2017 – Ar. Scott Gold AIA
2015 – Ar. Richard Moriwaki AIA
2014 – Ar. Yasuyuki Sakurai AIA

Your Home & Your Health: Understanding Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) at Home by James Scott Brew (Nikken Sekkei)
2022-04-23 10:00 - 12:00
Online Lecture:
Your Home & Your Health: Understanding Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) at Home
by James Scott Brew (Nikken Sekkei)
Saturday, April 23, 2022 @10:00 JST (09:30 to 10:00: TEST SESSION)
SUMMARY:
The air in your home is likely much worse than the air outside. Given how much time we spend at home, this can be bad for your health. This session will focus on an introduction to indoor air quality at home, why you should care about it, and what to do if your air needs improvement. In addition to identifying the most common sources of pollution in homes, the speaker will use stories of serious health impacts from common toxins and chemicals that happened to 3 architects—2 of whom he knows personally. The speaker will also introduce his personal air quality education journey and how he monitors air quality in his Tokyo home, as well as how to mitigate some of the common problems that most homes have.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After attending this program, attendees will be able to:

Identify at least three (3) indoor air quality (IAQ) pollutants.
Explain the relationship between air quality and health.
Describe three (3) strategies to improve the IAQ in your home.
Explore tragic stories of personal health impacts from common household sources.

CES:
2.0 LU/HSW Pending for approval

The role of architecture in realizing carbon neutrality by Shin-ichi Tanabe (Waseda university)
2022-03-17 19:00 - 21:00
Online Lecture:
The role of architecture in realizing carbon neutrality
by Shin-ichi Tanabe (Waseda university)
Thursday, March 17, 2022 @19:00 JST (18:30 to 19:00: TEST SESSION)
SUMMARY:
Shin-ichi Tanabe, Professor at the Department of Architecture, Waseda University will address issues on carbon neutrality in the field of architecture from a global perspective. In Japan, 91% of greenhouse gasses are CO2, and 85% of it originates from energy use. Issues around energy efficiency, demand side management, renewable energy, and embodied carbon will be discussed.
In the latter half of the lecture, James Scott Brew, a member of AIA Japan and the Continuing Education System committee will join the crosstalk. After James briefly addresses his perspective on issues in response to Professor Tanabe`s lecture, they will explore together, with audience participation, what architects and architectural engineers can do for the future society.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
After attending this program, attendees will be able to:

Identify at least three (3) current global issues on carbon neutrality.
Explain what is required in the architecture field to resolve the carbon neutral issues.
Describe three (3) important strategies for the resolutions focusing on Japan.
Explore what architects and architectural engineers can do for the future society during the interactive crosstalk.

CES:
2.0 LU/HSW
