Monday 29 November – Friday 29 July 2011
The Urban Utopia: Images of the Perfect City
Daiwa Foundation Japan House
Organised by the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation
The seminars in this series looked at aspects of current urban life in Japan and the UK. They identified points of comparison and different approaches to urban planning and regeneration. There was much discussion of individual elements as well as the entire nature of the ideal city.
This final, special event at the Royal Institute of British Architects marked the culmination of the series. All speakers and audience members who had attended any of the previous lectures were also invited to join the discussion on the urban utopia, which focussed on what Japan and the UK can learn from each other in seeking to make this goal a reality.
Organised in association with The Japan Society.
About the contributors
Kengo Kuma
Kengo Kuma is head of Kengo Kuma & Associates. His major works include the Water/Glass Villa (AIA Benedictus Award); Venice Biennale/Space Design of the Japanese Pavilion (1995); Stage in the Forest, Toyoma Centre for Performing Arts (1997 Architectural Institute of Japan Annual Award) and the Museum of Hiroshige Ando (Director General of Forestry Agency Prize). He was a visiting scholar at Columbia University (1985-86) and has been a Professor at the Keio University Faculty of Science and Engineering since 2001.
Sir Terry Farrell CBE
Sir Terry Farrell CBE is principal of Terry Farrell & Partners. Over 40 years, he has completed building schemes and masterplans in Edinburgh, Hong Kong, Dubai, Lisbon, London and Seoul. His projects include Dean Centre Art Gallery (Edinburgh), the Transportation Centre, Inchon International Airport (South Korea), Kowloon Station (Hong Kong), The Deep (Hull) and Charing Cross Station and MI6 headquarters (London). The practice is currently designing the Home Office’s headquarters and a new National Aquarium at Silvertown Quays.
Rowan Moore
Rowan Moore (Chair) is Director of the Architecture Foundation and architecture critic of the Evening Standard. He was formerly editor of Blueprint. He curated Vertigo, an exhibition for Glasgow 1999, and the Denys Lasdun exhibition at the Royal Academy in 1997. He commissioned Zaha Hadid’s Blueprint Pavilion, 1995. He has written books on Tate Modern, the New Art Gallery Walsall, and other subjects. He was a founding partner of Zombory-Moldovan Moore architects.