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Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism The life and work of Arata Isozaki

completion of MOCA sets the stage for a four-decade-long A spectacular competition-winning design for Tokyo’s New
international career. However, clashes with the museum City Hall (1985) was never built – although ideas from this key
project overseers almost led to Isozaki walking away. It is project kept re-emerging in the office in later proposals. The
little known that the project nearly stopped when a building typology of the large “ground-scraper” would occupy Isozaki
committee forced Isozaki into a design he repudiated in the for his entire career. Its large and airy indoor/outdoor atrium
press. However, failure in Los Angeles would have forced sliced by bridges re-emerged 10 years later for the Potsdamer
him to retreat to Japan in humiliation Giovanni (2022) Platz buildings C2/C3 in Berlin. Our proposal was the only
writes, “Following the advice of the Los Angeles architect non-skyscraper project in the design competition. The strategy
Frank Gehry, Mr. Isozaki won the support of a group of was clever: when one turns a skyscraper on its side, creating
museum trustees, who rescued his design and, with it, both a “ground-scraper,” all of its intimidating “bullying power”
the project and his reputation.” In the end, Isozaki’s ideas dissipates into a humbler serenity.
remained mostly intact, with numerous critics praising the Isozaki commented that the phase of the Cold War era
spatial sequence and refined lighting. had ended, and this shift created an entirely new globalized
The Team Disney headquarters building in Orlando, situation, which followed the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989
Florida (evidence of the architect’s growing popularity and the bursting of Japan’s economic bubble in 1992.
in the US), was overloaded with symbolic meaning and Typical works from this phase include:
colorful geometries: it resembled nothing ever built before
and incorporates influences from Pop Art and postmodern • KitaKyushu Central Library (1973 – 1974), Fukuoka,
humor, including the tongue-in-cheek metaphor of the Japan
main entry gate, in the form of Mickey Mouse’s ears. • Tsukuba Center Building (1979 – 1983), Tsukuba,
Two long office wings meet at a giant, cone-shaped lobby, Japan
which was brightly colored and equipped as a sundial. The • The Museum of Contemporary Art, MOCA
building became an instantly identifiable icon. (1981 – 1986), Los Angeles, California, USA
• Palau Sant Jordi Stadium (1983 – 1990), Barcelona,
Isozaki embodied the 1980s like hardly any other Spain; sports arena for the 1992 Summer Olympics;
architect of the second half of the 20 century – a time followed by the Palafolls Sports Complex Pavilion
th
that, stylistically, allowed everything. Isozaki could do (1987 – 1996), Barcelona, Spain
postmodernism so much better than the others could, and • New Tokyo City Hall (1985 – 1986, unbuilt), Tokyo,
appeared to enjoy himself in the process. In architecture, Japan
the 1980s meant a new era of beauty, sensuality, and an • Kamioka Town Hall (1975 – 1978), Kamioka, Japan
aura of mystery. These were different times compared • Team Disney Orlando (1987 – 1991), Florida, USA
to today. Today, in Japan, the interest in classic beauty • Bond University, Library and Administration Building
and large, unmistakable geometrical forms is declining; (1987 – 1989), Gold Coast, Australia
while, in China, there appears to be a revival of interest • Kitakyushu International Conference Center (1987 –
in neoclassical architecture. Moreover, the overview was 1990), Fukuoka, Japan
still possible: one simply knew who “Big Jim” was. One • Hara Museum ARC of Contemporary Art (1990,
just knew who Hollein was, who Philip Johnson and extended 2008), Gunma, Japan
Frank Gehry were, and of course who Isozaki was. These
six eccentric architects were just legendary, and that is 5.3. Phase III (1990 – 2000): Architecture as a
fascinating. I do not know if our present time can still sculptural statement and experiment
produce such legends. In hindsight, it seems that aura The third phase of his career can best be described as a
ended and by 2000 was gone. By normal standards, it paradigm shift toward the thought that “anything seems
was sometimes hard to digest what these trend-setting possible,” further garlanding his career with high-profile
architects designed at the time. They embodied the spirit projects and clients, firmly establishing Isozaki as the most
of the ’80s, when you simply dared, still put everything on influential figure in Japanese architecture in this decade: by
one card. It was a time that allowed open discussion about now, his position was influential and truly international.
aesthetics, beauty, and proportion, a time that consumed Edan Corkill noted: “If the entire Japanese architectural
everything. Furthermore, it consumed the eccentric people fraternity was one big royal family, then Arata Isozaki
in a strange way. Now, one has the feeling that the next would be a king approaching the end of a long and glorious
guard no longer has any understanding of this time. Many reign” (Corkill, 2008, p. 4). Indeed, during this phase, his
young people interested in architecture and design theory influence gradually spread further afield, mirroring the
do not even know these names and works. further growth of his stature.

Volume 5 Issue 1 (2023) 11 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.353