Transparency, integration and boundaries are key words for understanding the work of Riken Yamamoto. Winner of the Pritzker Prize in 2024, the Japanese architect's work can be recognized for its ability to establish and challenge conventional spatial concepts of materiality, creating spaces that promote interactions and connections between people and their surroundings. Transparency, whether in the physical configuration of the buildings, the choice of materials used or the underlying philosophy applied to all his works, emerges as a central element throughout his career.
This concept of connection and interaction between spaces transcends a superficial analysis. As he explains in this article, the notion of a threshold or boundary serves as a spatial element that both divides and links spaces with distinct characteristics. He delves into different strategies for organizing spatial layouts, including centralized and decentralized systems, and scrutinizes their implications for fostering either enclosed or open relationships within communities. Yamamoto underscores that abstract concepts like privacy and community are products of historical and cultural contexts, necessitating their translation into tangible spatial configurations. Indeed, concepts such as public and private inherently possess spatial dimensions and cannot be fully grasped without considering their contextual spatial relations.
If we are asked what sort of space is closed or open in character, we cannot say for certain. I believe the central question is a question of spatial arrangement. Being open or closed is more a question of the interrelationship of two spaces which come into contact with each other, [rather] than a question of the material at the boundary between those spaces. Is there a way of describing the relationship between those two spaces (that come into contact in general terms, not as a problem of materials)? If it is possible to describe a closed relationship, or an open relationship, as a spatial relationship, then it should logically be possible to describe such things as public or private in terms of spatial arrangements. – Riken Yamamoto
To realize these concepts, Riken Yamamoto's exploration of materials reflects his understanding of how materiality contributes to the perception and experience of architectural spaces, their possibilities for connections and relationships. Overall, his approach is characterized by a careful consideration of context, functionality and aesthetic expression. Materials are often left in their natural state, allowing their textures, colors and inherent qualities to shine through. The transparency stands out in contrast to architecture that is often based on heavy and solid elements, such as concrete or structural grids, highlighting the importance of the contrast between transparency and solidity.
One of the materials that stands out in Yamamoto's projects is glass, whose transparent and reflective characteristics give it a starring role. Its translucent nature allows for a fluid and continuous visual connection between spaces, both outwards and inwards; it opens up spaces and reveals their functions. Glass can also be used to create internal façades, delineating environments that carry with them a feeling of lightness and spaciousness. Its ability to allow natural light to pass through contributes to a bright and airy atmosphere, while at the same time providing a sense of integration and harmony between the different architectural elements, highlighting the structural parts, the opaque planes, but above all, providing a stage for the life that unfolds there. The architecture becomes a backdrop to the life that takes place within the limits imposed by the building.
The Pangyo Housing project, designed by Yamamoto in 2010, is an emblematic example of his approach to transparency and social integration. The project is resolved through 9 clusters, each containing approximately 9 to 13 residential units spanning 3 to 4 floors. Connecting these clusters is a common deck located on the second level, serving as a transparent space within each housing unit known as "Shiki." By incorporating transparent volumes on the first floor, the architect promotes interaction between residents, ensuring that even those who live alone don't feel isolated. These not only invite the community to come together, but also create a sense of belonging and connectivity without imposing rigid social standards.
Similarly, the Hiroshima Nishi Fire Station, completed in 2000, exemplifies Yamamoto's approach to transparency. This project allows visitors and passers-by to observe the firefighters' daily activities and training sessions, highlighting the importance of transparency in promoting trust and openness within the community. Inside, the layout revolves around an atrium where the firefighters carry out training, with most of the spaces delimited by glass partitions, as well as some specialized areas and volumes clad in red. Witnessing the firefighters' involvement and educating local residents highlights the fundamental role a fire station plays in promoting community cohesion and safety.
In the University of Information Science, the architect developed the workspaces along the lines of a studio, as a flexible central space that facilitates both solitary contemplation and collaborative efforts, flanked by teachers' laboratories with transparent partitions that facilitate visual connectivity. Emphasizing the direct human interactions that are crucial in the field of computer science, the university's ethos, "Open space = open mind," underscores the importance of fostering an open and collaborative environment conducive to innovative thinking.
Riken Yamamoto's work is a testament to architecture's ability to promote meaningful and enriching interactions between people and environments. Transparency is used so that those inside can experience the environment beyond the building itself, while passers-by can feel part of it. His approach provides a consistent continuity of the landscape, projecting a discourse onto the pre-existing natural and built environments to contextualize the experience of each building. By redefining the border as an active space, Yamamoto transcends the dichotomy between public and private life, giving social value to each project, full of spaces conducive to engagement and casual encounters. His architecture serves both as a backdrop and as the protagonist of everyday life, blurring the boundaries between its public and private dimensions and multiplying the opportunities for spontaneous encounters through carefully crafted design strategies.
