Ebisu Beer & Sketch Nite!
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!

HERITAGE LIGHT: History Illuminated with Charles Stone
2025-06-27 18:30 - 20:30 (Asia/Tokyo) | Lutron Asuka Co., Ltd., 1 Chome−1−1 Shin-Aoyama Bldg. West 14F, Minamiaoyama, 東京都, 107-0062, Japan
THIS EVENT IS POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!
Lecture Description:
The illumination of historic or heritage buildings provides both opportunity and obligation to the lighting designer. Thoughtful and sensitive application of light to historic façades and interiors has the power to transport us back in time and amplify our appreciation of the architecture. Lighting can reify and restore beauty of a heritage building and enhance civic appreciation and pride. Indeed, illuminating history obliges us to consider the role of memory in design.
Basic architectural and lighting vocabulary will help the attendees understand the content. However, the presentation is not technical.
Learning Objectives

Examine the architectural and civic context of an historic or heritage building before beginning a Lighting design process.
Analyze the architectural hierarchy with respect to the areas to be illuminated, such as a facade or interior space.
Familiarity with important variables that affect visual understanding such as color, temperature and relative brightness.
Consider the importance of memory in design, respecting heritage, and the triumphant return of white light.

Speaker Profile:
Charles Stone, President and Founder of Fisher Marantz Stone

Charles joined architectural lighting designers, Jules Fisher & Paul Marantz, Inc. in 1983, and helped found FMS in 1997. From studios in New York, Seattle, and Austin, FMS has received 300 awards and completed 5000 successful projects on six continents, including Carnegie Hall, the Washington Monument, the Tribute in Light, the Hong Kong International Airport, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, the Peninsula Hotel in Paris, 41 buildings on the Shanghai Bund, the world’s tallest building – the Burj Kalifa, and the 2nd tallest – Merdeka Tower in Kuala Lumpur. Projects in Japan include the Japan Post Tower, The New National Theater, the Miho Institute of Aesthetics Chapel, and The Miho Museum. Mr. Stone is a graduate of Princeton University, a Certified Lighting Designer, LEED and NCQLP accredited, a Fellow and Past President of the International Association of Lighting Designers, and has received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Edison Report and the ILAS (Mumbai). Charles’s Traveling Light lecture tour features explorations of light and culture and has visited 25 countries. Mr. Stone is active in education and research as a member the Advisory Board for the Architectural Lighting program at Oregon State University, the IESNA Lighting for Outdoor Nighttime Environment Committee, and the Lighting Detectives (Tokyo).

2025 AIA Japan Board Meeting
2025-07-24 19:00 - 21:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | Kengo Kuma & Associates, Aoyama Tower2 Chome-24-15 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo, 107-0062, Japan
Location:
Kengo Kuma & Associates Offices
Aoyama Tower 16th Floor
2 Chome-24-15 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0062

Zoom link:
Time: July 24, 2025 07:00 Osaka, Sapporo, Tokyo
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81468746207?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 814 6874 6207
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Description:
AIA Japan board members will gather at the upcoming board meeting to discuss key organizational matters, leadership and committee updates, strategic planning, and planning for upcoming events. This is a great opportunity for all members to engage in decision-making to help shape the future direction of AIA Japan. Agenda will be released prior to meeting. This meeting will be held in person with an option to attend virtually via zoom.

Lecture with Botond Bognar: From Metabolism to Minimalism- A Japanese Architectural Genealogy of Space and Architecture
2025-07-26 10:00 - 12:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | Gensler Tokyo, METLIFE Aoyama Building 5th Floor 2-11-16 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, 東京都, 107-0062, Japan
Register here!
Join us for a special AIA Japan lecture by Professor Botond Bognar on the evolution of Japanese architecture, from Metabolism to Minimalism. More details below!
Date: Saturday, July 26, 2025Time: 10:00 AMLocation: Gensler Tokyo officeIn-Person: Please register via our Peatix app here!

For online:
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87802973280?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 878 0297 3280
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Lecture Description

In this richly illustrated talk, Professor Botond Bognar investigates a spatial genealogy in modern and contemporary Japanese architecture—tracing the evolution from Arata Isozaki’s visionary “City in the Air” to the refined minimalism of SANAA. His lecture explores how ideas of space and form have transformed across generations of architects, guided by shifting cultural and conceptual frameworks.
Topics will include:

Explorations of inside–outside relationships, the contrast between serving and served spaces as defined by Louis Kahn, and the idea of “parallel” spaces that define each other like yin and yang

A discussion of Kenzo Tange’s legacy and the influence of the so-called “White School” in Japanese architecture

Reflections on how structuralist spatial conceptions evolved into minimalist architectural expressions

Through this lens, Professor Bognar offers a compelling account of how spatial thinking in Japan has navigated between complexity and simplicity, structure and void—ultimately reshaping the architectural landscape.
About Botond Bognar

Born and educated in Budapest, Hungary, Professor Bognar is currently Edgar A. Tafel Endowed Chair in Architecture at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where he has been teaching graduate design, lecture, and seminar courses for 40 years. He received his B.Arch (1968) and M.Arch (1972) degrees at the Budapest University of Technology, and his MA in Architecture and Urban Planning (1981) at the University of California, Los Angeles. As a Japanese Mombusho Scholar, he conducted research at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (1973-1975). As a licensed architect he worked in both Hungary and Japan, where he lived for several years.
Today, Professor Bognar is an internationally renowned scholar of the history and theories of Japanese architecture with a long list of publications: over twenty books and monographs, many book chapters, and innumerable essays and articles in professional journals. He has been a keynote speaker and panelist at numerous major international conferences and has lectured all around the world.
Professor Bognar is recipient of numerous awards and grants, including two Graham Foundation Fellowships; William and Flora Hewlett Fellowship; Social Science Research Council Fellowship; Visiting Endowed Chair at Tokyo University; Japan Foundation Fellowship, Tokyo; and two Excellence in Teaching Awards. In 1986 he was named University Scholar and in 2000 appointed Associate in the Center for Advanced Study at the University of Illinois. In 2005 he received the Cultural Appreciation Prize from the Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ) and in 2018 he received the Honorary Gold Diploma from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics.

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!

AIA International Conference 2025 Sri Lanka: Art Within Architecture
2025-10-09 - 2025-10-11 | 東京都
AIA International Conference 2025 Sri Lanka – The Art within Architecture
When: Thursday 9 October – Saturday 11 October 2025 (Extension tours: 8 October & 12 October onwards)
Where: Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Registration: Eventbrite
For more information see the AIA International website, HERE

UPDATE: Sri Lankan AIA Members and Friends can now register for discounted tickets here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1491361685949/?discount=SLmember. You will then receive an invoice to send payment in LKR.
NB: your registration will only be complete once payment is received.
Further details can be found on our Eventbrite. If you have queries about these discounted tickets, please contact aiainternationconference@gmail.com.
Event Description
Step into a world where creativity meets legacy at the AIA International Conference 2025, set against the breathtaking backdrop of Sri Lanka—the Pearl of the Indian Ocean.
From the ancient grandeur of Sigiriya Rock Fortress to the refined simplicity of Geoffrey Bawa’s tropical modernism, Sri Lanka showcases centuries of architectural brilliance. With eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites and a rich landscape teeming with wildlife, the island is a haven for architecture enthusiasts and cultural explorers alike.
Join eminent architects, thought leaders, and peers from around the world gathering in Colombo from 9 to 11 October to explore the theme: ‘The Art Within Architecture’.
Beyond the conference hall, you will set out on specially curated architectural tours to discover some of Colombo’s highlights; you will also have the opportunity to venture further afield from 12 October onwards to encounter the architectural wonders and scenic splendour of Sri Lanka.

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

2025 AIA Japan Board Meeting
2025-10-30 19:00 - 20:30 (Asia/Tokyo) | Kengo Kuma & Associates, Aoyama Tower2 Chome-24-15 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo, 107-0062, Japan
Location:
Kengo Kuma & Associates Offices
Aoyama Tower 16th Floor
2 Chome-24-15 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0062

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85206464167?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 852 0646 4167
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Time: October 30 07:00 Osaka, Sapporo, Tokyo
Description:
AIA Japan board members will gather at the upcoming board meeting to discuss key organizational matters, leadership and committee updates, strategic planning, and planning for upcoming events. This is a great opportunity for all members to engage in decision-making to help shape the future direction of AIA Japan. Agenda will be released prior to meeting. This meeting will be held in person with an option to attend virtually via zoom.

Evening Lecture with Kengo Kuma: Back to Nature
2025-11-06 19:00 - 20:50 (Asia/Tokyo) | Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan, 2 Chome-31-3 Nishiikebukuro, Toshima City, 東京都, 171-0021, Japan
AIA Japan is honored to collaborate with Kengo Kuma & Associates to present a special lecture, “Back to Nature,” by Kengo Kuma, one of Japan’s most internationally acclaimed architects. Held at the historic Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan—a masterpiece by Frank Lloyd Wright and a fitting setting for this dialogue between architecture and nature—the event will explore Kuma’s philosophy of reconnecting design with the natural world.
Schedule
6:30pm – Doors open.
If you arrive early, feel free to visit the exhibition hall (to the right), but please refrain from wandering elsewhere as requested by the venue staff. No open containers or outside food a drink please.
7:00pm – Lecture begins promptly.
Please arrive at least 10 minutes early to get seated. This is an intimate venue, and late arrivals may disrupt the presentation.
8:00pm – Brief Q&A
8:15pm – Post-lecture reception in the Dining Hall.
Join us upstairs for a relaxed evening of wine, tea, and small sweets, surrounded by the warm architecture of Wright’s wooden interiors—a perfect chance to connect with fellow guests and continue the conversation.
8:50pm – Event concludes.
Register Via Peatix: here
FREE FOR AIA JAPAN MEMBERS!
3000JPY for non-members. Non-member tickets will be available for purchase starting at 9:00am Sunday 10/26.
STUDENTS! Use Discount Code: AIAJSTUDENT2025
No CES credits will be awarded at this lecture.
Online Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82723845751?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 827 2384 5751
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Biography:
Kengo Kuma was born in 1954. He established Kengo Kuma & Associates in 1990. He is currently a University Professor and Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo and a member of the Japan Art Academy after teaching at Keio University and the University of Tokyo. KKAA projects are currently underway in more than 50 countries. Kengo Kuma proposes architecture that opens up new relationships between nature, technology, and human beings. His major publications include Kengo Kuma Onomatopoeia Architecture Grounding (X-Knowledge), Nihon no Kenchiku (Architecture of Japan, Iwanami Shoten), Zen Shigoto (Kengo Kuma – the complete works, Daiwa Shobo), Ten Sen Men (Point Line Plane, Iwanami Shoten), Makeru Kenchiku (Architecture of Defeat, Iwanami Shoten), Shizen na Kenchiku (Natural Architecture, Iwanami Shinsho), Chii-sana Kenchiku (Small Architecture, Iwanami Shinsho) and many others.
1954年生。1990年、隈研吾建築都市設計事務所設立。慶應義塾大学教授、東京大学教授を経て、現在、東京大学特別教授・名誉教授、日本芸術院会員。50を超える国々でプロジェクトが進行中。自然と技術と人間の新しい関係を切り開く建築を提案。主な著書に『隈研吾 オノマトペ 建築 接地性』（エクスナレッジ）、『日本の建築』（岩波新書）、『全仕事』（大和書房）、『点・線・面』（岩波書店）、『負ける建築』（岩波書店）、『自然な建築』、『小さな建築』（岩波新書）、他多数。

2025 AIAJ Design Awards Submission Deadline
2025-11-14 17:00 (Asia/Tokyo) | 東京都
The AIA Japan Chapter invites AIA members assigned to the Japan Chapter, as well as AIA members working on projects in Japan, to submit their projects for the 2025 AIA Japan Design Award Program by November 14, 2025. The 2025 AIA Japan Design Award Ceremony is scheduled for December 13, 2025.
The mission of the AIA Japan Design Awards Program is to encourage excellence in architectural design and planning, and to provide a platform through which architects can gain recognition from both their peers and the public. The goal is to elevate the standards of architectural design excellence for the benefit of the architectural community and society at large.
With five distinct categories—Architecture (large-scale project), Architecture (small-scale project, single detached house), Interior Architecture, Urban Planning, and a Special Entry Category welcoming architects who have not yet joined the AIA—the AIA Japan Design Awards provide a comprehensive platform for architects to showcase their creativity and technical prowess.

JURORS
We are also honored to introduce this year’s distinguished jury:

Michel van Ackere, AIA, Professor-in-Practice, Meiji University I-AUD; Former Associate, Maki and Associates; Founding President, AIA Japan

Shirin Frangoul-Brückner, Managing Director and founding partner of ATELIER BRÜCKNER

Rita Topa, Partner, Kengo Kuma & Associates; Portuguese Architect/Urban Planner based in Tokyo

Together, they bring an exceptional range of expertise across architecture, interiors, and urban design. We look forward to recognizing outstanding design achievements that reflect innovation, craft, and cultural dialogue.
AWARDS: AIA Japan Award (優秀賞)、Honorable Mention (佳作賞)
The jury will determine the number of awards in each category. They may also decide not to award any submitted projects in a category. Awards are based on quality, not competition, and there is no limit on the number of awards.

ENTRY CATEGORIES

ARCHITECTURE SMALL PROJECT
(single-family detached home or less than 500 m² gross floor area)
Eligible entries may be either new construction or renovation/restoration.

ARCHITECTURE LARGE PROJECT
(more than 500 m² gross floor area)
Eligible entries may be either new construction or renovation/restoration.

INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
Eligible entries may be large or small in scope and may involve new construction, renovation, or preservation/restoration.

URBAN PLANNING
Eligible entries may include urban design projects, planning projects, civic amenity improvements, campus plans, environmental programs, or redevelopment projects. Projects
should not be individual buildings.

SPECIAL ENTRY
Includes one-year AIA membership with free entry; follows the same rules as the four categories above and entrants must register with AIA Japan. Entrants are required to complete a membership application and purchase one membership for the current year via the AIA website.
Membership Application: https://www.aia.org/membership

For multiple-building projects, the submitting Architect (or portion thereof) must provide detailed evidence of authorship for the relevant portion.
Projects for architecture large project, small project, and interiors must be built work completed between January 1, 2020, and October 31, 2025. For the Urban Planning Category, incomplete or ongoing projects may be recognized if a significant portion has been completed or implemented by a local authority since January 1, 2015.
For “Special Entry” Category, you will be required to produce evidence that you have applied for AIA membership as part of the submission review process. If submitting multiple projects, only one accompanying membership application is required.

FEES AND ELIGIBILITY

APPLICANT CATEGORY
FEE

AIA Japan Chapter
10,000 JPY per entry

Other Chapters
100 USD per entry, includes international transaction and currency conversion charges.

Non-Member
Free with proof of membership application

Multiple entries by the same individual are allowed.
Entrants must be AIA members assigned to the Japan Chapter or AIA members with a project in Japan, in good standing, including Architect members, International Associate AIA (Int. Assoc. AIA) members, and AIA Honorary members. Membership must be valid and active as of November 15, 2025.
Entrants must also be able to claim authorship or significant authorship of the project being submitted.

APPLICATION
Accepting submissions until Friday, November 14, 2025 at 5:00pm Japan Standard Time (JST), UTC+9. Download application materials now for further detailed instructions on how to submit.

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FORMS

FOR INQUIRY

Please contact the Award Program Coordinator or a Committee Member for further information.
Email: aiaj.design.awards@gmail.com

AWARDS CEREMONY
Awards will be presented during the Year-End Event on Saturday, December 13, 2025. AIA Japan Chapter encourages all entrants to attend the AIA Japan Design Award Ceremony. Award winners are required to present their project for 5–10 minutes at the ceremony.
SAVE THE DATE MORE DETAILS TO COME!

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!

Frank Lloyd Wright and Japan Revisited: Traditional Japanese Culture as a Means to Modern American Architecture, an Evening Lecture by Kevin Nute
2025-11-27 18:30 - 20:30 (Asia/Tokyo) | Arper Japan, HT Jingu Gaien Building, 8th Floor, 2-7-22 Kita Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-0061, Japan
Discover how Japanese culture shaped Frank Lloyd Wright’s work with this evening lecture by AIA Japan! Join Professor Kevin Nute for fresh insights on Wright’s organic design philosophy at Arper’s Showroom, November 27, 2025. The lecture will follow a brief Q&A followed by a small snacks and drinks.
Register via Peatix here!
Time: 11/27/2025, 6:30pm
Location: Arper Showroom, Tokyo (address below)
Zoom Online Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88581517905?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 885 8151 7905
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Lecture Description:
Although it has long been accepted that America’s most famous architect was influenced by Japanese culture, the nature of Frank Lloyd Wright’s debt to Japan has remained unclear. Kevin Nute argues that Japan had a more profound impact on Wright’s approach to design and in particular his notion of the organic than has previously been acknowledged. It suggests that the influence of Ernest Fenollosa (1853–1908), the leading American authority on Japanese art at the turn of the 20th century, who also happened to be the cousin of Wright’s first employer in Chicago, the Shingle Style architect Joseph Silsbee (1848–1913), was pivotal in bringing together what would become Wright’s twin passions of Japanese art and the organic whole.
Speaker Bio:

Kevin Nute is a professor of architecture at the University of Hawai’i, Manoa. He trained at the Universities of Nottingham and Cambridge and worked in practice in London, Hong Kong, and Singapore before beginning his research career at the University of Tokyo.
He is the author of Frank Lloyd Wright and Japan (1993) which won the 1994 AIA International Monograph Award, Place, Time and Being in Japanese Architecture (2004), Naturally Animated Architecture (2018), This Here Now (2020), The Constructed Other (2021) and Embodied Time (2024)
His work has been featured in The Washington Post, Smithsonian Magazine and PBS News. He is currently the 2025 scholar in residence at the Fallingwater Institute.

Image Credit: Kevin Nute
Image Credit: Kevin Nute
Image Credit: Kevin Nute
Image Credit: Kevin Nute

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.

AIA Japan Book Talk — Waterfront Regeneration in a Time of Climate Change
2025-12-05 18:30 - 20:30 (Asia/Tokyo) | Lutron Asuka Co., Ltd., 1 Chome−1−1 Shin-Aoyama Bldg. West 14F, Minamiaoyama, 東京都, 107-0062, Japan
Please follow the link for in-person and online registration, as well as venue details.
https://aiaj-251205.peatix.com/view

When: Friday, December 5, 2025 @ 6:30pm
Venue: Hosted by Lutron at their showroom near Aoyama-Itchome Station
Joining Online via zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89176946951?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 891 7694 6951
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Attendees will earn CES Credits
Join AIA Japan for an engaging book talk featuring Raffaele Pernice (The University of New South Wales), George Kurumado (Takenaka Corporation), and Heide Imai (Senshu University) — chapter authors of Waterfront Regeneration in a Time of Climate Change: Recent Japanese and International Experiences (Routledge, 2025).
Moderated by Professor Tetsuya Yaguchi (Waseda University), this session will explore the resilience of the Tokyo waterfront and how global cities are reimagining their waterfronts in response to climate change. Through Japanese and international case studies, the speakers will highlight strategies that balance ecological restoration, disaster risk reduction, and urban livability.
This hybrid evening event will offer CES Learning Units (HSW) and a valuable opportunity to hear directly from leading voices in sustainable urban design and waterfront planning.

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
