Cena Antonína Raymonda Report from trip By Tomáš Havelka

April 2016 First of all, I would like to thank from all of my heart to everybody who helped me with my trip to Japan and I could have this great experience.

I would like to especially to Mr. Tsutchiya for his great conviviality and willingness, Next to Mrs. Takamine for her graciousness, And to Rahman Koç for taking care of me and his friendliness. And to all people from Raymond’s office for the opportunity to meet them and see their work.

I would also like to thank to town for the opportunity they gave me, espe- cially to Mrs. Hadravová for the travel arrangements.

At last I would like to thank to Mr. Vávra for your choosing my project.

The whole journey was a great experience and it will be in my memories forever. Thank you very much. (Arigathou gonzaimasu) Czech Embassy in Day 1st

I arrived to Narita airport and I first met Mr. Tschuchiya and Rahman, after that we travelled by car to the Czech embassy. At night I could not sleep, therefore I helped the Chef Mr. Karpíšek with preparations in the kitchen.

Start of my journey, Václav Havel Airport First steps in Japan, Narita airport

First photo in Czech embassy, Mr. Tsutchiya, Mrs. Takamine and Mr. Karpíšek Day 2nd

In the morning Rahman picked me up at the Embassy and we went to Raymods’s Office which is situated in a quiet area in the neighbourhood of Meiji Jingu, that is a large park with a shrine in the middle. The office itself is five floor high building, in the first floor, there is a memorial room next to the entrance with photos and objects of Mr. Antonín Raymod. The original of Antonín Raymond’s office was transferred to the top of the building. The office has original features and decoration. First I visited Mr. Toshinobu Miura a director of Raymond’s office, after that I was introduced to other members of the office. Then I went for lunch with Mr. Tschuchiya and Rahman, where we talked about my schedule and my presentation about the Czech centre which took place the following Monday. In the fternoon we visited two churches in Tokyo built by Antonín Raymod. The firstchurch, St Anselm, was built in 1954. The church is in the centre of the complex of the educational buildings. The view on concrete altar which is painted golden and was designed by Antonín Raymond was very impressive. And the second church was wooden St Albans. There is used a wooden structure which is typical for Czech traditional architecture in Beskids.

Raymond office Raymond office

First floor Original office

St. Anselm St. Albans Day 2nd

In the end we concluded day in suschi restaurant near Roppongi. It was first time when I tasted it.

Day 3rd, Friday

I visited one of the best known boulevards in Tokyo, called Omotesandō, where are situated many buildings designed by world famous architects, like Herzog De Meuron, MVRDV, OMA or Sannaa. On the way back I saw the Olympic stadium from for Summer Olympic Games in the 1964. The Olympic Games in 2020, will be in Tokyo too.

Herzog De Meuron MVRDV Sannaa OMA

Omotesandō street Olympic stadium Day 4th, Saturday

I spent this day with Pavel Karpíšek‘s family. We wanted to visit Odaiba a large ar- tificial island in Tokyo Bay connected with the central Tokyo by the Rainbow Bridge. Odaiba was originally built for defensive purposes in the 1850s but it dramatically expanded during the late 20th century as a seaport district, and it has developed as a major commercial, residential and leisure area since 1990s. There are many famous building such as Fuji Television studios with a distinctive building designed by Kenzo Tange, or Daikanransha, a 115-metre high Ferris wheel. I visited the top of Fuji Televi- sion building, where is a great view across the Rainbow bridge.

Rainbow bridge Odaiba Day 5th, Sunay

This day I made my own program. I wanted to see a heart of Tokyo, business dis- trict Ginza, place with the highest density where many high buildings, numerous in- ternationally renowned department stores, boutiques, restaurants are situated. Ginza was founded in the neighbourhood of The Imperial Palace, it is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan, protected by walls and moats. It looks like a green island in the middle of a concrete and glass jungle. The inner grounds of the palace are not generally open to the public. Only in January 2nd (New Year’s Greeting) and December 23rd (Emperor’s Birthday), visitors are allowed to enter the inner palace grounds and see the members of the Imperial Family, who make several public ap- pearances on balcony. After Ginza I continued to Sumida, One of the Tokyo district, where Edo-Tokyo Museum is situated. For me it was one of the most amazing building which I saw during my trip. Edo is name of period from 1603 to 1868 when Tokugawa shogu- nate ruled, and in this time Tokyo was de facto founded. So Tokyo is quite young city, before Edo period, it was a little-known fishing village. Edo-Tokyo Museum designed by Kiyonori Kikutake architects was built in 1993. For me, the building looks like a big beast, like a wild boar. There are staircases in its legs and there are exhibitions in its body in its legs are situated staircase and in body is exhibitions where many models of different scales are. .

Ginza and Imperial palace Tokyo International Forum

Edo-Tokyo Museum

Fortification of Imperial palace

Place before Imperial palace Day 6th, Monday

I visited Ueno Park, district, where many cultural facilities, monuments, and attractions are located. Step by step I explored the interior exhibitions of Tokyo National Museum and Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. I saw the other institutions only from exterior, such as National Museum of Western Art, National Museum of Nature and Science, The Tokyo Bunka Kaikan ( Tokyo’s concert hall) and Ueno Royal Museum. It is possible to see a Buddhist temple next to the entrance and the Ueno Zoo is located behind the temple . In the evening, I had a lecture at the Czech embassy. I spoke about my competition project, my home, and Czech architecture.

Tokyo National Museum

The Tokyo Bunka Kaikan

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

Day 7th, Wednesday

In the morning I visited The National Art Center, Tokyo, a new building from 2007, designed by Kisho Kurokawa (the same man, who designed Capsule hotel in 1972), after that I continued to Nezu Museum which is also contemporary architecture. It was opened in 2009, and it was de- signed by Kengo Kuma.

In the afternoon Mr. Tsutchiya scheduled a visit in Mr. Naito’s architecture studio. Mr. Naito is landscape architect, a student of Antonín Raymon. He worked in Raymond’s office three years after he finished school. Then Mr. Raymond decided to leave Japan and to return to the USA. It was pleas- ant time spent with an energetic old man. He told me many stories about Mr. Raymond. For example that Mr. Raymond didn’t like summer tempera- tures in Tokyo and others…

“An architect should put chaos into order”, it was a sentence of Mr. Ray- mond, which said to Mr. Naito at the beginning of his career.

he National Art Center Nezu Museum Mr. Naito and Mr. Raymond Meiji jingu

Meiji Shrine Day 8th, Thursday

Accompanied by my hosts, we continued visiting Antonin Raymond’s buildings. Our targets were two campuses in Tokyo. The first one was at Hoshi University in Shinagawa and the second one was at Tokyo Wom- an’s Christian University in the Suginami. Both of the buildings were built in classy style, inspirited by geometric Viennese . The most im- pressive moment for me was the first view into the lecture room with a huge cupola in Hoshi University. In my opinion, this work is an evidence of an excellent spatial imagination which Mr. Raymond had. On the other hand the fine details of the building are, in my opinion, the work of his wife Naomi.

Tokyo Woman’s Christian University Hoshi University

Lecture room Hoshi University Staircase Hoshi University

Chapel Tokyo Woman’s Christian University Day 10th, Saturday

I was looking forward to this day for a long time. We had talked about it many times from the beginning of my stay. We had a scheduled trip to Karuizawa, a town in the mountains 150km from Tokyo. There is a place where Antonin Raymond spent every summer because he hated high temperatures in the low-lying Tokyo. There are several buildings designed by him. The day started very early in the morning. We went by car. First what we saw was a wellness hotel in a mountain resort, designed by Mr. Tschuchiya. It is a huge building on base of a mountain. There is used quite smart wooden loan-bearing structure. We went through its interior, with restaurant, chapel and spa. After that we continued to Karuizawa. .

The next stop was Raymond’s own house. And at this place I realized many things. Maybe it was the strongest experience of my Japan jour- ney. A building designed by an architect for himself says many things. It is house without compromise. It precisely shows thinking and life values of its architect. The phenomenon of these houses is going through histo- ry. For example Corbusier at the end of his live designed a wooden hut himself. Philip Johnson lived in a glass house. Antonín Raymond designed a simple wooden building for himself with a fireplace in the middle and surrounded with several types of sitting such as sofa, dining table or working place. This building is sensitively set in the landscape. It stands on thin wooden piles and wooden porch hovers lightly above the ground. It is a house of a kind and humble man whom Antonin Raymond prob- ably was, as well as his wife Naomi. Her poetics is omnipresent in the house.

Then we continued and we saw a wooden church in Karuizawa and final- ly a surprise awaited me. On the way back we stopped in Gumna a city with one million inhabitants, where a concert hall designed by Raymond is, and we went to an evening symphony concert.

Seisen Ryo hotel

Raymond’s house in Karuizawa

Raymond’s house in Karuizawa Church in Karuizawa Gumna music centre Day 11th, Sunday

I had an opportunity to visit two Japanese families in the houses de- signed by Mr. Tschuchiya. They were kind and hospitable people. They talked about lives in Japan and about memories on structure process. Thanks to the structure they became good friends with Mr. Tschuchiya.

In my opinion, every architect makes his work differently. Somebody has ambitions, in his work, moves the borders of architecture and makes ex- periments. This architecture is often abstract, difficult to understand, and often uncomfortable for users. These are the architects who are not in the books. Their work is craft, where the measure of quality is the satisfaction of their residents. I am convinced that it was a case of Antonin Raymond who was a modest and humble man, and his followers are the same.

Day 12th, Monday

In the morning I wanted to see some famous buildings, such as Ryue Nishizawa’s garden house. This is a typical member of unusual Japanese houses built in confined space. After that I continued to St. Marry ca- thedral, the biggest church in Tokyo built by Kenzo Tange. There, in a quiet place, I thought about Tokyo, how busy and crowded Tokyo is. The city life is fascinating but in my opinion it’s little bit depressing and un- healthy. I do not know if it is a life for me.

In the afternoon I could express a wish, what I would like to see in To- kyo. I decided for one of well-known contemporary realization of Toyo Ito, Tama Art University library, situated approximately 30km from Tokyo. This building did not disappoint my high expectations; I carefully studied its every detail. It is really a beautiful building.

Garden house St. Marry cathedral ama Art University library At the end, I have to repeat my thanks from the beginning.

From all of my heart I would like to thank for the opportunity to get so great experience and to meet so many kind people. I will never forget those happy memories.

I will do my best to spread the legacy of Mr. Raymond and Mr. Tschuchiya.

Best Regards, Tomáš Havelka