New Wave Japanese Architecture

The ``new wave'' in Japanese architecture looks sleekly ultramodern and functional, yet according to architect Kurokawa, it reflects Japan's ``invisible tradition,'' a centuries-old philosophy of impermanence rooted in Buddhist thought. Kurokawa, a leader of Japan's Metabolist movement, which has challenged the Westernization of Japanese architecture, here assembles works by 28 new wave architects who comment on their own buildings in this lavishly illustrated survey. Some architects seek an indefinite form, like Takefumi Aida, whose Saito Memorial Hall creates a dynamic, fluid space with its layered repetitions of walls. Tadao Ando explores the Japanese tradition of light and shadow in the language of minimalism. Others, like Kan Izue, quote traditional Japanese architecture while relating their buildings to the environment. An underlying emotional sensitivity and a sense of the uncertainty of existence emanate from many of the projects showcased here. (Aug.)