Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects
Tokyo Barcelona
Toyo Ito Honorary Fellowship of AIA Honorary Fellowship of RIBA Commissioner of Kumamoto Artpolis Biography 1941 Born in Seoul Metropolitan City 1965-69 Graduated from The University of Tokyo, Department of Architecture Worked at Kiyonori Kikutake Architects and Associates 1971 Started his own studio, Urban Robot (URBOT) in Tokyo 1979 Changed its name to Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects
Awards and Prizes 1986 Architecture Institute of Japan awards for “Silver Hut” 1992 33rd Mainich Art Award for Yatsushiro Municipal Museum 1998 Ministry of Education Award for the Encouragement of Arts for “Dome in Odate” 1999 Japan Art Academy Prize for “Dome in Odate” 2000 Accorded the Title “Academician” from The International Academy of Architecture 2000 The Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize in Architecture from American Academy of Arts and Letters 2001 Grand Prize of Good Design Award 2001 from Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization (JIDPO) for “Sendai Mediatheque” 2002 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement of the 8th International Architecture Exhibition NEXT at the Venice Biennale 2003 Architectural Institute of Japan Prize for “Sendai Mediatheque” 2004 XX ADI Compasso d’Oro Award for “Ripples” (furniture design) 2006 Royal Gold Medal from The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Public Building Award for “Sendai Mediatheque” 2008 ADI Compasso d’Oro Award for the Stand Horm 2005 6th Austrian Frederick Kiesler Prize for Architecture and the Arts 2009 Medalla de Oro from Circulo de Bellas Artes de Madrid 2010 2009 The Asahi Prize The 22nd Praemium Imperiale in Honor of Prince Takamatsu
TORRES PORTA FIRA
Location
Barcelona, Spain
Period
Hotel:2004.6 - 2010.4/Office:2006.4 - 2009.5
Structure
ｒeinforced concrete
Scale
Hotel: 26 stories, 2 basement, 1penthouse Office: 24 stories, 3 basement, 1penthouse
Site Area
Hotel: 5,775.55m2 / Office: 4,801.55m2
Building Area
Hotel: 4,801.08m2 / Office: 4,049.73m2
Total Floor Area
Hotel: 34,688.10m2 / Office: 45,419.59m2
Magazine Title Pasages de Arquitectura y Critica 107／MARK #26
Image 1. (http://www.toyo-ito.co.jp/WWW/Project_Descript/2010-/2010-p_01/1-800.jpg)
Belle Vue Residences Location
Oxley walk, Singapore
Period 2006.03-2010.09 Structure ｒeinforced concrete
Scale 5 stories, 1 basement Site Area 23,003.40m2 Building Area Total Floor Area
8,368.49m2 32,204.76m2
Magazine Title GA Japan 107／GA Japan 95／GA Toyo Ito Recent Project／ ／a+u 467
Image 2. (http://www.toyo-ito.co.jp/WWW/Project_Descript/2010-/2010-p_02/1-800.jpg)
The Main Stadium for the World Games 2009 in Kaohsiung Location
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Period
2006.9~2009.1
Structure steel frame, reinforced concret Scale
3 stories, 2 basements
Site Area 189,012.00m2 Building Area
25,553.46m2
Total Floor Area
98,759.31m2
Image 3. (http://www.toyo-ito.co.jp/WWW/Project_Descript/2005-/2005-p_15/2-800.jpg)
Image 4. (http://www.toyo-ito.co.jp/WWW/Project_Descript/2005-/2005-p_15/4-800.jpg)
MIKIMOTO Ginza2 Location Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan Period
2003.8~2005.11
Structur steel freme + concrete, reinforced e concrete Scale
9 stories , 1 basement
Site Area
275.74m2
Building Area
237.69m2
Total Floor Area
2,205.02m2
Image 5. (http://www.toyo-ito.co.jp/WWW/Project_Descript/2005-/2005-p_06/4-800.jpg)
Tower of Winds in Yokohama Location Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan Period 1986.3~1986.11 Structure steel frame Scale― Site Area― Building Area 43.45m2 Total Floor Area― Picture 1. (http://www.toyoito.co.jp/WWW/Project_Descript/1980-/1980p_08/main%20photo-800.jpg)
There used to be an old water tower and ventilation ducts in front of the the Yokohama bus station was, an anonymous, brutalist and made-of-concrete structure . An architectural competition was organized with the idea of improving the first impression of visitors arriving to this city by bus.
Picture 2. The Tower of the Winds is located in front of Yokohama Bus Terminal / googlemaps ()http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J0XsQeUu1tE/SDAFuAmUnUI/AAAAAAAAFpo/sMDKcpFjqE4/s1600h/torre+vientos+copy.jpg)
Ito's proposal was to cover the tower with acrylic mirrors. A metallic oval-cylindrical structure, 21 m in height and 9 x 6 section was installed around the tower, lined with a perforated aluminum coating that reflects the sky during the day.
Picture 3. The oval cylinder geometry of the Tower of the Winds is distinguished from the other volumes in the surroundings. Photo courtesy of El Croquis. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J0XsQeUu1tE/SDADsAmUnRI/AAAAAAAAFpQ/8mC9p8df rJY/s1600/torre+croqb+.jpg
Picture 4. The tower is covered with a perforated aluminum plate. Photo C. Zeballos (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J0XsQeUu1tE/SDADYwmUnLI/AAAAAAAAF og/cZNmPVKuN2U/s1600/DSCN5195.JPG)
Picture 5. The same view at night . Photo C. Zeballos. (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J0XsQeUu1tE/SDADZA mUnMI/AAAAAAAAFoo/1bnFUAOTaVU/s1600/DSCN5316.JPG)
The tower became much more attractive at night, when 1300 lamps in coordination with 12 rings offered a multicolor light show. An electronic system recognizes the differences in wind speed and the sound waves in the noise around and translates them into light and color codes. For this reason, unlike a traditional arrangement of lights, this installation does not follow a predetermined program or routine, and offers an ever-changing spectacle of light and color.
For this reason, unlike a traditional arrangement of lights, this installation does not follow a predetermined program or routine, and offers an ever-changing spectacle of light and color.
Picture 6. Light Sequence of the Tower of the Winds. Photos courtesy of El Croquis (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J0XsQeUu1tE/SDADrwmUnQI/AAAAAAAAFpI/1YJdHk_t-lk/s1600/secuencia+torre+copy.jpg)
Picture 7. Floor plan of the Tower of the Winds. Image courtesy of El Croquis (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J0XsQeUu1tE/SDAHsgmUnVI/AAAAAAAAFpw/hdH_-SwI7fI/s1600/planta+torre.jpg)
Video: http://youtu.be/LN36b61gxc4
The Eggs of Winds (1990)
Picture 7. Schemes Egg of Winds. Pictures courtesy of The Sketch. (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J0XsQeUu1tE/SDADZgmUnPI/AAAAAAAAFpA/V7-UgsFXkHs/s1600/huevo+vientoB.jpg)
Ito proposed a kind of "Building of Tomorrow", an "video gallery oudoors." There are two versions of this, one in Brussels and the other in the Japanese suburb of River City 21 in Tokyo.
It is a structure of a oval geometry -a recurring form in their designs at the time, contrasting with right-angled parallelepiped volumes of its surrounding.
Picture 8. Seen from the upper terrace, the ellipsoid gives the impression of being floating. (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_J0XsQeUu1tE/SDALJgmUnWI/AAAAAAAAFp4/1WGwYM1ljhw/s1600/DSCN5102.JPG
)
This capsule is attached to a wall, suspended from the floor by metal legs, and gives the impression of floating in the air, especially from a small public space located on the mezzanine.
Picture 9-10. Day and night view of the Egg of Winds. Photo C. Zeballos (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_J0XsQeUu1tE/SDACJwmUnGI/AAAAAAAAFn4/ids5J7V3LNQ/s1600/_05_x3.jpg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J0XsQeUu1tE/SDACKAmUnII/AAAAAAAAFoI/G5PIROcdLnI/s1600/DSCN5093.JPG)
Using a coating similar to that of the Tower of Winds, this 16 x 8 m ellipsoid is covered with a perforated aluminum plate below which liquid crystal screens displayed pictures and news.
Picture 11. Egg of winds. Photo courtesy of Philip Jodidio. (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_J0XsQeUu1tE/SDACKAmUnHI/AAAAAAAAFoA/DbgGOwzYybk/s1600/bta00452.jpg )
While in operation, the effect is very interesting: the images appeared as if they were floating on a curved surface, almost like a hologram, very different from the effect of the giant screens hung on the facades of buildings.
Picture 12. Interesting formal contrast with the surrounding volumes. Photo C. Zeballos. (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_J0XsQeUu1tE/SDACKQmUnJI/AAAAAAAAFoQ/slp2P836lhQ/s1600/DSCN5097.JPG)
For Toyo Ito the wind and its meaning are very important, not only because his architecture and especially his urban sculptures are characterized by lightness and transparency, but because it interacts with the environment and the user, making him aware of energy that surrounds it.
References Sendai mediatheque / Toyo Ito Matter in the floating world [electronic resource] : conversations with leading Japanese architects and designers / Blaine Brownell http://www.toyo-ito.co.jp/WWW/index/index_en.html http://architecturalmoleskine.blogspot.com/2010/06/toyo-ito-tribute-to-winds.html http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/ito.html http://www.archdaily.com/tag/toyo-ito/ http://www.arcspace.com/architects/ito/tod/tod.html