The Paradox of a Modern (Japanese) Architecture Torben Daniel Berns History and Theory Program School of Architecture, McGili University Montreal, June 2002 A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. ©Torben Daniel Berns, June, 2002. 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Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts from it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou aturement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Canada ABSTRACT The Paradox of a Modern (Japanese) Architecture This thesis analyzes the problems and contradictions inherent in modernity's levelling of the fabricative and political realms. Seeking a broader perspec­ tive on the origins of aesthetic culture and aestheticized politics, it examines the relation of architecture to technology, culture, and politics. The thesis examines the consequences of the Enlightenment and "Radical Enlighten­ ment" (understanding the ri se of the modern nation-state as a direct conse­ quence of the 18th century's yoking of history and nature) from the perspec­ tive of Japan and its encounter with modernity. Japan as a modern nation­ state, neither part of the European Enlightenment nor colonized by its instru­ ments, was able to initiate a unique discourse around the question of history and the concomitant issues of identity and nihilism. The thesis tracks the discourse through architecture as the terms shift and become more and more indistinguishable from the Western manifestations from which the Japanese architects wished to claim distinction. The discussion on difference and possibility-cultural identity and the cre­ ative project-as fundamental questions for a contemporary practice of ar­ chitecture is undertaken through an analysis of the polar positions of Tange Kenzo and Shirai Sei'ichi. RÉSUMÉ Le Paradoxe d'une Architecture (Japonaise) Moderne Cette thèse analyse les problèmes et les contradictions inhérentes au nivellement du domaine structurel et du domaine politique de la modernité. En essayant de prendre une perspective plutôt large des origines de la cul­ ture esthétique et de la politique esthétisée, la thèse examine le rapport de l'architecture à la technologie, la culture et la politique. Cette thèse examine aussi les conséquences du Siècle des Lumières et même le Siècle des Lumières 'radical' (considérant l'ascension de l'état-nation comme une conséquence directe du dix-huitième siècle et son attelage de l'histoire et de la nature), du point de vue du Japon et de sa rencontre avec la modernité. Le Japon, un état-nation moderne, qui ne fit pas partie du Siècle des Lumières Européen et ne fut pas colonisé par les instruments de ce dernier, fut ca­ pable d'initier un discours unique sur la question de l'histoire et des problèmes concomitants d'identité et de nihilisme. La thèse suit l'évolution des termes dans le discours de l'architecture qui finissent par se confondre de plus en plus aux manifestations analogues de l'Ouest dont les architectes japonais voulaient se distancer. La discussion sur les différences et les possibilités - sur l'identité culturelle et le projet créatif - comme questions fondamentales pour une pratique contemporaine de l'architecture se fait à partir de l'analyse des deux posi­ tions polaires suivantes; celles de Tange Kenzo et Shirai Sei'chi. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1gratefully acknowledge the following support in the preparation of this the­ sis. Beginning with my committee, 1am sure no graduate student ever had a more supportive and fostering committee. For their patience and guidance 1 would like to thank Doctors Vikram Bhatt, and Ricardo Castro. 1am espe­ cially grateful to my external committee member, Dr. Donald Kunze for his direction, his friendship as weil his humour-even if he still sees me as "the Hegelian in the Vico camp." My supervisor, Dr. Alberto Pérez-G6mez, has in fact been my teacher and mentor for 19 years, and it is with the most profound gratitude that 1acknowl­ edge his influence and role at every stage of my development. 1thank my teacher and friend Katsuhiko Muramoto; one for introducing me to Japan; two for introducing me to Shirai (figuratively); three, for spending hour upon hour reading Shirai with me, line by line. Besides my own family, there is no one who has had such an immediate interest in the development and completion of the thesis. Much more than this, however, Katsu has been somewhat like Foucault's description of Hegel. Everytime 1am convinced 1 have turned a new corner to go somewhere no one has been before, 1find Katsu sitting there with a book in his hand, saying 'Torben, you should read this." 1thank Yatsuka Hajime who has generously provided me with published and unpublished manuscripts as weil as pointing me in the direction of fertile sources and ideas. The degree to which 1have been inspired and influenced by his writings will be evident to the reader. 1thank also Prof. David Stewart for his article on lrony as weil as his comments on the Shirai chapter. The thesis is stronger for them. 1thank my teachers at Kyoto University as my host institution in Japan. In particular 1am grateful to Professors Takada Mitsuo and Munemoto Junzo for welcoming me into their laboratory. 1am grateful to Prof. Iyori Tsutomu for welcoming me into his seminar and for his interest in the thesis. 1thank also Prof. Echigojima Kenichi of Tokyo University for his insights on Shirai as weil as his assistance. 1thank Prof. Martin Bressani for editing my essay on Metabolism. The es­ say, published separately, was not included here, but a number of com­ ments and phrasings have been extremely useful and helpful in the devel­ opment of my own thinking. 1thank Kobayashi Hiroto and Kobayashi Masumi for their assistance, in­ sights and friendship; also Terayama Toru for his translations of Shirai as weil as his many insights and questions concerning Shirai's language. The subsequent discussions were invaluable. 1would especially like to thank Mr. Shirai Ikuma for spending an afternoon with me in his father's house. 1hope that our discussion has borne fruit. 1would also Iike to thank posthumously ML Nakasuji Osamu of Hexa Design Office and co-founder of Tojüso. 1thank the members of Nezumi Udon for their limitless energy and encour­ agement as weil as ail they have shared with me: the myths, legends and gossips of the Kansai architecture world. 1especially appreciate the help and friendship of Fujiwara Shinji, K5ke Taro, Miyazaki Waka, and Kawai Akiko. The Japanese Ministry of Culture Monbusho Fellowship enabled me to carry out the groundwork for the thesis. Subsequent research was made possible by Cornell University Department of Architecture. As one of my host institu­ tions 1am extremely grateful for the support, dialogue and friendships this institution has awarded me. In particular 1would like to thank John Zissovici, Lily Chi and Milton Curry for their direct participation as interlocutors, as weil as their guidance. 1am indebted to Mark Cruvellier for facilitating much of what was accomplished in the last three years. 1thank the participants of the Comel! Japan Summer Program 2001 for trapsing ail over Japan with me in the interests of recreating the legacy pre­ sented in this thesis; this was preceded by two years of seminar students whose confusion and stubborness required me to continuously recast the argument. In particular 1thank Daisuke Chew, Nida Rehmen, Sahaja Malone­ Aram, Raymond Kwok and Alice Chen. 1also thank Zuzanna Karczewska and Daniel Dadoyan for their help in the final preparation of the thesis. 1would also like to acknowledge a huge debt to Prof. W. Tom Darby who indirectly though most forcibly has played a role in this thesis. It is through Prof. Darby that the inkling to weave Plato's argument with the poets through a Kojevian observation regarding a post-historical Japan gained appear­ ance in this thesis. 1am truly grateful toTsz Yan Ng for her untiring dedication and support. She has been invaluable in layout and editing, as weil as offering the advice that can only come from knowing the work and the author in aillights and in ail seasons. There is always other support which is less concrete but everywhere as necessary for a project of this duration. It is harder to account for and many go unacknowledged. 1must however thank Rie Sasaoka, the Sasaoka fam­ ily and the Omori family. Finally 1thank my immediate family who have made this project their own. 1 would especially Iike to thank my sister Rima Berns McGown, who having been down this road ahead of me, lovingly nudged, directed, buoyed my spirits, criticised, and edited as a scholar and writer. Most of ail, 1thank my father who taught me about architectural form, and my mother who taught me form's debt to appearance.