Future Talks 03 : Yuki Minamikawa

ZZ: Thank you very much for showing us your house and the studio today, as well as your work at Sakushima island the other day. To start, could you briefly introduce your studio and describe the main principles and values of your work?

YM: My studio designs both artwork and architecture. Essentially, I approach art and architecture from a landscape perspective. I was born in the countryside of Fukui Prefecture in Japan, and I think this has shaped my attitude, as whether you are born in the countryside, a city, or a village can be a fundamental influence for an architect.

ZZ: So, the roots are an important influence in your work?

YM: Yes. I suggest that if I had been born in a city, my values toward architecture and art would be completely different.

ZZ: How do you reflect this in your work? Do you also consider your clients' roots?

YM: Yes, I always ask where they grew up, where they come from.

ZZ: How do you perceive the importance of the architect's influence on the lives of ordinary city dwellers, and where does this lead you in your own work?

YM: My office is small, so my influence on the city is limited. However, my projects in Sakushima island have evident local influence. 'The Nap House' and 'The East House' we visited together, are simple structures that will be maintained over time, not only during my lifetime but probably also after I am gone. They have been rebuilt every ten years since they were constructed (2004) and will continue to be maintained repeatedly. So, it's not just a big influence but a long-lasting one. But to be honest, as I mentioned earlier, my roots are rural. It is easy for me to build in nature, on an island, near the sea or near mountains, but it is hard for me to relate to the city in that sense, to imagine a controlled influence on the reality of cities.

ZZ: Is it possible for you to bring ideas or feelings from your rural roots into the city?

YM: It is not intentional, but I guess it is reflected as an abstract essence in my residential works in the city. In the city it is difficult to do it so directly as in nature. For example, the two works in Sakushima are impossible to build in the city in terms of homelessness and security. The Nap House, unlike the city, has a clear theme and strong relationship with the sea. It is a work where there is a vast sea and sky in front of it, nature is present in a very real way. But even in that universal environment, I intended you to feel small events like light changes, wind, and sea wave sounds. So probably as I mentioned before, when designing in the city, by taking care of providing experience of those small natural events in everyday life, I relate to my rural roots.

ZZ: This relates very well to my next question. In the eyes of Europeans, Japanese architecture has a very close relationship with nature. Where, in your opinion, do these roots lie? And is this relationship about ecology and sustainability?

YM: I think it is a difference in religious beliefs. In Japan, we still live with the Shinto idea of Yaoyorozu no kami - "Eight million gods", which means all things have a spirit, a living god within. For us it means always recognizing and respecting the others, not only human beings but also nonhuman beings separated from ourself.

ZZ: So, you think the close relationship with nature is because you believe nature has spirit or gods within, which is why it is respected, isn't it?

YM: Yes, exactly.

ZZ: Which social aspects do you find most important for architects to consider?

YM: There are issues of carbon neutrality, energy saving, and sustainability these days, which are very challenging for architects. Because of new regulations, buildings are becoming too high-spec, like highly insulated and airtight, as if they are heavily armed. This increases costs of construction and is also subject to inflation, which becomes difficult for clients. I heard that in the last Noto earthquake on January 1st 2024, many buildings collapsed, but the traditional houses built following the Jomon-style (around 800 B.C.) did not break down at all. I think it is important to learn about such primitive structures and ways of living. In other words, it is about reconsidering how low-cost building can be achieved. So, I would say that the important social aspect is the affordability of housing and affordable energy efficient living.

HK: Compared to Europe, which has fewer earthquakes, in Japan a very large budget has to be spent on earthquake resistance. As a result, high-spec energy efficient buildings bring an extra cost and I would say that is why they are so difficult to spread in Japan.

ZZ: Then what are the possibilities and limits of Japanese architects in creating ecological/sustainable architecture?

YM: As for the limits, the lifespan of an ordinary house in Japan is very short compared to Europe. It is often said to be 30-40 years. Of course, we have big disasters such as earthquakes, but the cost of renovating the water system and the inability to cope with changes in family structure are the main reasons for the short lifespan of houses. Traditional Japanese houses have a longer lifespan than modern ones because the plans are very simple and the water zoning is separated from the main living areas. In fact, they were easy to renovate and could be extended or reduced to accommodate changes in family structure. So, one limit is that the investment into an energy efficient house would not pay back in energy savings through such a short life span of a typical Japanese house. Longer-lasting buildings would reduce construction costs as well as materials and CO2 emissions.

ZZ: So, this low adaptability of common catalogue housing production is the reason for such a short life span of Japanese houses? Do Japanese architects take this as a challenge?

YM: If the house could survive a hundred or two hundred years thanks to its good adaptability, that would also make that house very sustainable. Regular construction companies just follow the scrap and build culture trend, which is quite problematic lately with the rising numbers of abandoned houses. But it is also related to the really very high cost of renovation works in Japan, which mostly makes people choose to build a new house instead of renovating the old one.

ZZ: How does climate change influence your work?

YM: I used to design a lot of flat roofs, but now I am designing more and more sloped roofs with eaves because the number of heavy rain showers has increased over the years.

ZZ: How do you perceive the influence of the SDGs (Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development) on Japanese architecture, and how do you reflect them in your work?

YM: In general, there is a trend towards the use of wood in more and more projects, not only in family houses but also in big buildings. Wood is a natural and renewable material, so recently it has been attracting a lot of attention from governments and developers. For example, schools or kindergartens are lately being built with wooden structures...

ZZ: Do you mean that biophilic design is on the rise?

YM: Yes, such designs have a gentler, softer appearance.

ZZ: So, do you think this is the result of the SDGs promotion or campaigns?

YM: In my case, not so much, because I have been using wood since the very beginning of my studio establishment. The SDGs movement has made my job easier (laughs). In the case of building companies and governments, I think that the use of local materials and the increase in industrial promotion are largely a result of the SDGs campaigns.

ZZ: Do you see the Japanese public debate on the sustainability and adaptability of cities as sufficient and fruitful? Can you give examples of its outcomes?

YM: I don't think there are many such debates in Japan yet. We should have more opportunities to discuss this topic deeper.

HK: I often see people from business and government discussing the SDGs in magazines and books, but I think there are still fewer opportunities for individual architects to get together and discuss them compared to Europe. I wonder if it is a national trait... Many Japanese people seem to have an aversion to the SDGs as part of a promotional campaign.

ZZ: Why is this situation happening?

YM: In Japan, there is an idea that it is better not to talk about politics or religion in public. I think it's because people see SDGs as a topic close to these two... But on the level of design proposals, it is possible to mention that a design is sustainable or ecological.

ZZ: I was very surprised because from my perspective, European architects have an active attitude towards rethinking cities or buildings in some kind of ecological sustainable way. I always thought that Japanese architects have a close relationship with nature, and sustainability and ecology would be very important topics. In this context, how do you perceive the problems of UHI (urban heat island) in Japanese cities? How do you see the use of NBS (nature-based solutions) and do you use them in your work?

YM: Of course, I know about them, but I have never designed with them as my main concept. I planted a big tree in my own house and I could say that it is part of the UHI solution, but I don't want to make such a big deal out of it. It is not a new solution for Japanese architects so they don't think that it is something special to talk about. But on the other hand, 90% of general housing production is not using such solutions.

HK: I see. In the past in Japan, trees were planted to create windbreaks and deciduous trees were planted to control room temperature, to shade and cool down in summer while in winter fallen leaves allow the sun to enter and warm up the space. Even before the profession of architect was established, our ancestors had this wisdom as a matter of course.

YM: Nature-based solutions have existed not in logic but sensibly and as a part of life. This is a simple but powerful solution and we just expect it is a part of common sense.

ZZ: How do you perceive the role of public space in contemporary Japanese cities?

YM: I feel that current Japanese society has lost flexibility, such as the increasing number of parks where playing with balls is prohibited. When I was a child, the regulations were not so strict, the use of public space in Japanese cities is quite limited nowadays. But Japanese society needs good public spaces and if provided, they are being used intensively, as in "21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art" by SANAA in Kanazawa. We can see a good example which works well as a public space. In my own work, as my roots are rural as we spoke before, the nature and landscape plays a big role in my designs, so I don't think about the space around my building much as a public space, but as a space which is softly blending with the natural landscape I guess.

ZZ: Do you use methods of participation/communication with the public or the local community in your work and how do you perceive this method in the context of Japanese society?

YM: In the projects at Sakushima island, communication with the local people was very important. Conversely, the project would not have been completed without their participation, cooperation, and understanding. Especially in rural areas the engagement of local people can be very helpful.

ZZ: What would you recommend to the upcoming generation of architects - students of architecture? What topics should they focus their attention on?

YM: I think they should study more history, not only architectural design. It could be architectural history, world history, land history, and so on.

ZZ: Thank you so much for sharing your ideas with us.