Modern Residential Space Design: Selections of Works by Japanese Designers

Author: Pan Wei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: There is a long-held desire to introduce the works of Japanese designers to Chinese readers. This is because Japanese design represents the modern design standards of the entire East and is on par with Western design, which already dominates the field. We are not surprised by Japan's achievements today; it is a unique cultural phenomenon—the result of the Westernization of the East that began in the late 19th century with the Meiji Restoration. Benefiting from this, it has accumulated to this day, forming a way of thinking and aesthetic taste that deeply embodies the unique advantages of hybridization. As fellow Easterners, and with ancestors whose culture profoundly influenced this island nation across the sea, we today, whether looking far or near, recognize from the bottom of our hearts its extraordinary and excellent modern culture. In the field of design, we have only opened our eyes and taken action in the past decade or so, truly wanting to create our own new world. A single leap to Europe and North America left us overwhelmed and even unable to keep up; whereas nearby Japan, with its overall design standards synchronized with the West, is relatively or more easily accepted by us, becoming modern design that we can understand and interpret with an Eastern spirit. Precisely for this reason, compiling, editing, and publishing this collection of Japanese designers has become the aspiration of the editorial team of "Home Advocacy." This aligns with our earlier publication of "Collections of Taiwanese Designers," "Collections of Hong Kong Designers," and "Collections of Korean Designers," all advocating for and embracing the same principles. For the aforementioned regions and countries, Japan is home to world-class masters, some of whom we are familiar with, such as Tadao Ando, Kisho Kurokawa, Kenzo Tange, and others. Perhaps we can touch the spiritual essence of these masters through this book, perceive the harmonious blend of Eastern and Western thinking that runs through them, and gain inspiration from a single line, a color scheme, a framed painting, a seating arrangement, or a touch of garden scenery—all of which convey the masters' emotions.