Essay - Green Architecture in Japan: a Reflection of Societal Values Defining...

Green Architecture in Japan: a Reflection of Societal Values

Defining Green *****

Man has been building structures since shortly after they began to emerge from caves and to explore areas outside his immediate vicinity. Many animals build structures, such as birds and beaver. Many of these ***** are functional ***** serve only ***** offer protection from predators and the elements, and so it w***** with the first structures built by man. They were made from the limited ***** materials locally available and ***** emp*****is was on functionality, little, if any thought was given to artistic form.

As *****ciety developed, so did his technology. Advances in technology allowed him more time to do other things than those related to survival. As this happened, man began to express his emotions through art. Architectural design encompasses more than simply piecing together a few I-beams ***** concrete. It involves building for humankind. No where is this idea more pronounced than in *****.

In Eastern cultures there is more of an emphasis on the interc*****nectivity between everything in the universe. They believe that all *****, both e*****al *****d concrete, ***** interdependent in a complex symbiosis ***** ***** ***** Gods can understand. This harmony is reflected in every social aspect of life, including their architecture. ***** now refer to this concept as "green architecture" which ***** means ***** in a w*****y that is in ***** to nature, ***** opposed ***** be*****g superimposed on it. This research will demonstrate through example how green arch*****ecture in Japan is a direct result of traditional elements found ***** Japanese religion and culture.

Defining Green Architecture

***** Eisaku Ushida and Kathryn Findlay studio is known for its work in the field ***** architecture as a reflection of regional landscape elements and *****fluences of habitat, nature and ***** on human psychology1 This studio takes the idea ***** green architecture to the next level. M***** consider themselves ***** be "green architects" simply because they encompass a ***** elements of energy conservation and curved lines. ********** architects try to "tame nature." The Ushida-Findlay studio ***** the opposite approach and tries to tame technology instead.2 ***** have given a new definition the term green *****rchitecture.

***** in Japanese gardening, Japanese architecture now seeks to create a miniature version ***** the nature surrounding it. A building in the c*****y stays with this same principle and represents a ***** version of ***** city surrounding it. Like the c*****y, each house has personal, more intimate spaces like ***** bedroom, where the person can envelope themselves in a protective cocoon, free from the outside world. ***** also contains public spaces, ***** the larger id*****s of society can be captured. Modern *****ers tend to ignore these *****s and see a building or w*****ll, simply as an interruption to the smooth flow of traffic.3

In America, cities grew in sections, *****ten thought was given only ***** that p*****icular section and the immediate planned use. Anyone who has ever tried to drive to the various disjointed grid sections of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania will