Few architects can boast of having sold entire residential towers in a matter of days or weeks. But famed Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, who founded his eponymous company in 1990, is used to this success.
Kuma is even considered one of the most influential architects of the 21st century and is the author of Japan’s National Stadium; Swexan Hotel in Dallas; LVMH in Osaka, Japan; Amman Miami; and Kengo Kuma’s Alberni in Vancouver. Aman Miami’s two one-front apartments sold out in 72 hours, though the commission probably wouldn’t be finished for years, while Alberni sold out in just six weeks. Kuma is known for fusing classic Japanese architecture with fresh, design, and avant-garde elements. It fuses nature and herbal fabrics, such as cedarwood, with trendy fabrics and site-specific design features, making both tasks unique in their own way. When asked how he has replaced his vision of design throughout the course. of three decades, he says he fits both one and both assignments.
“My philosophy is to keep you informed: copying your afterlife is boring,” Kengo Kuma exclusively told Forbes. “What I find attractive is that vision renewal is achieved through my clients. The other people who commission us today have a deep knowledge of our work and want something more from our afterlife.
Although he prioritizes fresh design, he is deeply influenced by old-world architecture and his home country, Japan.
“The classical traditions and techniques of Japanese architecture are very varied and differ from position to position and vary depending on the age of the building structure,” he says. “There is no such thing that can be generalized under the name of ‘Japanese. ‘Therefore, reinterpreting Japanese traditions means coming up with new designs. There is no chance that they will be similar. In addition, in our practice, we work under the precept that the design must respect the history and characteristics of the place. , making each task unique.
It’s also a precept he applies in his work with Westbank. Kuma and Westbank founder Ian Gillespie met while on assignment in Hawaii.
“We were drawn to Kuma-san’s paintings because of his determination toward nature and his ability to blur the lines between the grassy and built environment,” Gillespie told Forbes. “Later, when we invited Kuma-san and her team to Vancouver to paint Alberni, he brought us the Japanese design philosophy of layers, which has become a central theme that we’ve been exploring ever since. As we’ve learned about this practice, our respect for Kuma-san and her team has only grown: they bring a completely different vision to the table. technique to architecture, contextual and honoring its environment. They are all incredibly talented and the ethics of their paintings have been an essential ingredient.
Kuma is running six projects with the Canadian developer, adding Kengo Kuma’s Alberni, which sold out in just six weeks when sales were introduced in 2016. Alberni is officially the tallest residential tower in North America that Kuma worked on and the 43-story tower in downtown Vancouver. The facility features a Kuma-designed Fazioli piano, a Japanese Kaiseki restaurant, and a bamboo forest.
Kuma has Japanese influences in all of his projects.
While Kuma has several projects in the works, Alberni in Vancouver is the newest luxury residential tower ever completed and is an example of the architect’s unique design philosophy. He worked intensively with Gillespie to bring his vision to life and, true to form, incorporated a lot of nature into the building’s design.
“Not only did we design the skyscraper, but we also established a new relationship between the building and its surroundings,” says Kuma. “Ian is a pioneer and this fits perfectly with our taste in painting. It’s exciting to paint with Westbank.
The exterior of Alberni.
When it comes to the residential living experience at Alberni, Gillespie says he finds that Kuma is more interested in creating a condition than a specific space.
“At Alberni, this resulted in a residential typology of exclusive appearance and delight,” says Gillespie. “Every detail has been conscientiously designed to enrich the overall delight and evoke nature, in curtains or shapes. Deep cutouts frame Lost Laguna to the west and is home to giant sheltered balconies. Kigumi woodworking connects spaces everywhere. Wood, stone, moss and geological formations place their architectural counterparts. Kuma-san and her team designed the apartment’s interiors to continue this theme, with soft wood finishes. and traditional cabinets with curvilinear biological shapes.
As for how would Kuma like Americans to feel in their spaces?He says, “I would like other people to feel the power of nature in our projects, which goes beyond the strength of 20th-century modernism,” he says.
Alberni has officially opened its doors and more Kuma projects will be opened and announced in the coming years.