Kisho Kurokawa
Architect, Hon. FAIA, Hon. FRIBA,
Academician, Japan Art Academy
President, The Japan Society of Landscape Design
Advisor, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan
President, KKAA (Kisho Kurokawa architect & associates)
1934 - Born in Nagoya, Japan
1957 - Kyoto University, B. / Arch. Course, Department of Architecture
1959 - Tokyo University, M. / Arch. Course,
School of Architecture
1964 - Tokyo University, Dr. / Arch. Course, School of Architecture
1976 - Life Fellow, Royal Society of Arts, U.K.
1981 - Honorary Fellow, American Institute of Architects, U.S.A.
1982 - Honorary Member, Union of Architects, Bulgaria
1986 - Honorary Fellow, Royal Institute of British Architects, U.K.
1990 - Member, Ordre des Architects, France
1999 - Decorated Order of Cultural Merit from Government of Tokyo, Japan
Honorary Professor, South East University, China
Advisor, Municipal Government of Shenzhen, China
2000 - Honorary Member, Union of Architects of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Advisor, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Advisor, Municipal Government of Guangzhou, China
President, The Japan Society of Landscape Design, Japan
2001 - Honorary Citizen of the Nizhni Novgorod Region, Russia
Foreign Member of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences
Major activities:
1981 - Advisor, Japan National Railways
1973 - Advisor, the Science and Technology Agency
1972 - Present Member, Policy making Study Group for Prime Minister's Office
1980 - Member, Japan Foundation Steering Committee
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1973, 75/81, 82 - Member, Long Term Planning Council for Social Welfare
Ministry of Health and Welfare
1974-91 - Commentator, Japan Broadcasting Corporation (N.H.K.)
1976-80 - Member, the City Planning Standing Committee,
Ministry of Construction
1977-81 - Member, Central Council for Education, Ministry of Education
1980 - Member, Advisory Committee to the Prime Minister: Ohira
1990 - Member, Japanese Chinese Committee for the 21st Century,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
1990 - Chairman, the Japan Inter Cultural Forum
1998 - Senior Advisor, the 2005 Aichi International EXPO
2000 - President, The Japan Society of Landscape Design
Major Decorations
1979 - Decoration by the Bulgarian Government, First Order "the Madara"
1981 - Honorary Fellow, American Institute of Architects, U.S.A.
1982 - Honorary Member, Union of Architects, Bulgaria
1985 - Decoration by the Finnish Government,
"Commandeur de l'Ordre du Lion de Finlande"
1985 Honorary Professor, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
1984 - Professor, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
1988 - Chairman, Board of Conferee of the Advanced Research Center for Japanese Architecture and City Columbia University,
New York, U.S.A.
1988 - Doctor Honoris Causa, Sofia University, Bulgaria
1989 - Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Letters from Le Ministère de la Culture, France
1990 - Member, Ordre des Architects, France
1994 - Academician, International Academy of Architecture, Sofia, Bulgaria
1995 - Honorary Professor, Tongji University, China Honorary Professor,
Georgian Technical University, Republic of Georgia
1998 - Doctor's Degree of Humanities (Honoris Causa),
Newport Asia Pacific University, California, U.S.A.
Academician, Japan Art Academy
1999 - Honorary Professor, South East University, China
Advisor, Municipal Government of Shenzhen, China
2000 - Honorary Professor, the L.N.Gumilyov Eurasian University,
The Republic of Kazakhstan
Professor of the Academy of the Chair (City Planning),
Kazakh State Academy of Architecture and Civil Engineering
Advisor, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Advisor, Municipal Government of Guangzhou, China
International Advisory Panel, Government of Malaysia
International Advisory Panel, Government of Singapore
2001 - Honorary Citizen of the Nizhni Novgorod Region, Russia
Foreign Member of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences
Major Awards (Projects)
1965 - Takamura Kotaro Design Award
1977, 78, 79, 83, 89, 91, & 93 - BCS (Building Constructors Society) Award
1978 - 19th Mainichi Art Award
1979 - Madara Bulgarian First Order, Bulgaria
1986 - Gold Medal from the Academy of Architecture, France
1985 - The Annual Furniture Design Award for High Back Chair in Edo Series
"Schöner Wohnen", West Germany
1988 - The 1st Public Architecture Award, Prize for Excellent Work for
National Ethnological Museum, Japan
1988 - Richard Neutra Award from California State Polytechnic University, USA
1988 - Decorated Commandeur de l'Ordre du Lion de Finlande, Finland
1989 - Decorated Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the
Ministry of Culture, France
1989 - Grand Prix with Gold Medal at "The Fifth World Biennale of
Architecture, Sofia, Bulgaria
1990 - 1990 Award of Architectural Institute of Japan
1990 - The 2nd Public Architecture Award, Prize for Excellent Work for
National Bunraku Center
1992 - The 48th Japan Art Academy Award (Highest Award for Artist and Architect)
1997 - AIA Los Angeles Pacific Rim Award (first awarded),U.S.A.
1997 - World Best Architecture 1997 Award (by FIABCI)
1998 - The 6th Public Architecture Award, Prize for Excellent Work for
Museum of Modern Art Wakayama / Prefectural Museum
Major works in Japan:
(Architecture)
1977 - National Ethnological Museum
1983 - National Bunraku Theater
1987 - Nagoya City Art Museum
1988 - Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art
1991 - Okinawa Prefecture Government Headquarters
1992 - Nara City Museum of Photography
1994 - Museum of Modern Art Wakayama
1994 - Ehime Prefectural Museum of General Science
2000 - Osaka International Convention Center (Grand Cube Osaka)
Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum
2001 - Oita Stadium
(Urban Planning)
1966 - Colony for the handicapped people of Aichi Prefecture
1967 - Hishino New Town, Aichi
1974 - Tajimi White Town, Gifu
1975 - Kibi Kogen City, Okayama
1976 - Fujisawa New Town, Kanagawa
1989 - Silk Road Town of Nara Station (Japan Railroad), Nara
1992 - Amagasaki Eco town, Hyogo
Major Works Overseas:
(Architecture)
1988 - Japanese German Center of Berlin, Germany
1989 - Chicago Sporting Center, USA
1990 - Chinese Japanese Youth Center, China
1991 - Melbourne Central, Australia
1992 - Pacific Tower, France
1995 - Republic Plaza, Singapore
1998 - Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia
1999 - New Wing of the Van Gogh Museum
(Urban Planning)
1973 - New TANU Headquarters and the Parliament Tanzania
1975 - International Conference City in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
1978 - New Capital Planning in Seoul, Korea
1979-84 - As Sarir New Town, Libya
1983 - Central Urban Redevelopment of the City of Sofia
(Serdica Complex)
1985 - Le Colisse, France
1987 - The U.A.E. University Town in Al Ain in U.A.E.
1990 - Central Research Complex for Plant Protection of Bayer A.G. Mannheim, Germany
1990 - Operation Sextius Mirabeau, Aix en Provance, France
1993 - Eco Media City, Malaysia
1994 - Kuala Lumpur Sentral, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1995 - Johor New Town Ship, Malaysia
1996 - Kota Kinabalu Sea Front Project, Malaysia
1998 - New Capital Planning of Republic of Kazakhstan,
Republic of Kazakhstan
1998 - Public Space System along the Central Axis in Shenzhen City Center, China
Major Competition Prizes in Japan:
1967 - Centennial Monument of Hokkaido, Japan, 2nd Prize
1989 - Osaka Prefectural Government Offices, Japan, 1st Prize
(National nominated)
1994 - Osaka International Conference Center, 1st Prize
(International nominated)
1995 - Oita Prefecture Main Stadium Design Competition, 1st Prize
(International nominated)
Hisagahara Green Hights Competition, 1st Prize
(International nominated)
1996 - Fukui Museum of Dinosaur, Design Competition, 1st Prize
(International nominated)
1997 - Kagamimachi Cultural Center, Competition, 1st Prize
(International nominated)
2000 - National Gallery, 1st Prize
(International nominated)
Japanese Nursing Association Headquarters, 1st Prize
(National nominated)
New Niigata Government Office Building, Japan, 1st Prize
Major Competition Prizes Overseas:
1969 - Pilot Low cost Housing in Lima, Peru, 1st Prize (Int'l nominated)
1971 - Centre George Pompidou, Paris, 2nd Prize (Int'l open)
1972 - New TANU Headquarters and the Parliament Tanzania, 1st Prize
(Int'l open)
1975 - Conference City in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., 1st Prize (Int'l open)
1979 - Central Research Complex for Plant Protection of Bayer A.G. Monheim, Germany, 1st Prize (Int'l nominated)
1979 - Internationale Bauausstellung 1986 for South Friedrichstadt, West Berlin, Purchase Prize (Int'l nominated)
1983 - Central Urban Redevelopment of the City of Sofia (Serdica Complex), Bulgaria, 1st Prize (National nominated)
1987 - The U.A.E. University Town in Al Ain in U.A.E., 1st Prize
(Int'l nominated)
1990 - Bayer Kyoto Pharmaceutical Research Center, Japan 1st Prize
(Int'l nominated)
1992 - Les Catalans; Redevelopment of the Waterfront Marseille in Marseille, France, 1st Prize (National nominated)
1992 - Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia, 1st Prize (Int'l nominated)0
1998 - New Capital Planning of Republic of Kazakhstan, 1st Prize
(Int'l nominated)
2000 - Guangzhou Pearl Riverside Area Concept Plan and Focus Urban Design, China 1st Prize
Major Publication:
1965 - "Urban Design"
1969 - "Homo Movens"
1982 - "Thesis on Architecture I"
1987 - "Philosophy of Symbiosis"
1989 - "The Era of Nomad"
1990 - "Thesis on Architecture II"
1991 - "Hanasuki"
1993 - "Poems of Architecture"
1994 - "Kisho Kurokawa Note"
1996 - "Philosophy of Symbiosis - Revised Version -"
1998 - "Nikkei Books - Kuala Lumpur International Airport"
2000 - "Millennium Kisho Kurokawa"
2001 - "Kisho Kurokawa architect & associates - The Philosophy of Symbiosis From the Age of the Machine to the Age of Life"
The "Philosophy of Symbiosis" (Tokuma Publishing Co.,) was awarded the Japan Grand Prix of Literature (1993), first published in 1987, and was revised in
1996. Translated into English, it was cited as Excellent by the AIA (USA) in 1992, and selected as one of the 10 Excellent Books by the RIBA (England).
The works of Kurokawa have been published by many famous publishers such as the France's "Les Editions du Moniteur", the United Kingdom's "Academy Editions", the United States' "Rizzoli" and "Edizioni Press," Italy's "Electa", "l'ARCAEDIZIONI" and "domus", and by Tongji University, China.
In 1993, an American film production company, Michael Blackwood Productions produced the documentary film "Kisho Kurokawa". It was broadcast in several countries.
In 1994, The Art Institute of Chicago named their architecture gallery the "Kisho Kurokawa Gallery of Architecture".
In 1982, the traveling exhibition "Kisho Kurokawa" began at the Institut Français d'Architecture in France, by the Ministry of Construction of the French Government, and traveled to Florence, Rome, Warsaw, Helsinki, Moscow, and is now part of the permanent collection the Architectural Museum in Wroclaw, Poland.
Two of Kurokawa's drawings from 1960 to 1975, became part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, USA in 1996. Another 41 drawings and 4 models become permanent collection objects of the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris in 1997.
In commemoration of this, the "Kisho Kurokawa Metabolism 1960 1975" exhibition opened at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, France from June to October, 1997.
The exhibition "Retrospective of Kisho Kurokawa as a great Japanese architect series No.1 " opened January 1998 to March 1998 at the Maison de la Culture
du Japon a Paris, France. After the Paris showing, the exhibition traveled to the Royal Institute of British Architects London from April 1998 to June 1998, the Art Institute of Chicago in the U.S. from October 1998 to January 1999, Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin from February 1999 to March 1999, and the New Wing of Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam from June 1999 to November 1999. The exhibition was also held in Japan from August 2000 to March 2001.
In 1997 Docomomo International (Documentation and Conservation of Modern Architectural Movement) made a select list of significant International Modern Buildings. This list was submitted that year to ICOMOS, at their invitation, for recommendation to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for the listing of 20 important architectures of the 20th century as World Heritage of Modern Buildings and Sites. Two Japanese buildings were selected including Kurokawa's Nakagin Capsule Tower, Tokyo (1970) and SONY Tower (1976).
