EVERYDAY MODERNISM

On a forced march thru Tokyo, I was stunned to have this building suddenly appear across a parking lot.  When you see something like this, it almost takes your breath away.  I call this everyday modernism.

What was appealing to me?  The long and tall modern forms in front of this ordinary gable building.  The way that every piece of the enclosure is expressed.  The structure is visible.  The enclosure is translucent.  Each panel that is attached to the structure remains understandable as a panel.  And you can see the connection of each panel to the structure.  Look at the way the roof floats over the rectangular forms.  And look at how the rectangular forms float above each other.  And that is merely a first impression.

Why is the roof sloped?  Because there is a stair under it, what else?  And the stair roof  starts aligned with the roof at the top, and then slopes down, as if it has been bent down from one piece of fabric.  After walking around and then getting closer, I was amazed to see other horizontal elements in the background, as if they are sliding past.  And then you realize that there is a concrete foundation undulating along creating yet another rhythm.

I tried to document all of this knowledge in my drawing.  I tried to show the supreme logic of the piece.  I guess I should have drawn the antenna, as the elemental simplicity of that works great with the building.

So what do you think;  was there an architect involved?  I would say no.  I would say that they simply responded to the program requirements with nothing more than honesty.  Nothing is contrived.  Nothing is hidden.  There is a purpose for every piece and the connection of that piece.  Yet it remains a wonderfully expressed and very sophisticated composition.  This is not dumb.  It has interest.  There is overlay.  There is function and form.  This should be in every architectural history book.  Why is a LeCorbusier piece more valid than this?

Here comes another Transparent Drawing Spin Off Project.  Looking for something to do?  Then put together a blog / book using nothing more than ordinary everyday modern buildings like this.  Analyze them as a way to teach architecture.  In the end, my theory is that a student’s education would be just as rich if this type of example were taught rather than an iconic piece by Mies.