Contemporary architecture in Japan: innovation in every object. Japanese architecture - from ancient times to the present day

Traces of ancient settlements on the Japanese archipelago date back to the 10th millennium BC. The first "villages" consisted of dugouts with tree branch roofs supported by poles, known as "tate-ana jukyo" ("pit dwellings"). Approximately in the III millennium BC, the first buildings with a raised floor, covered with a gable roof, appeared. Such structures were built as dwellings for the leaders of the tribes and as storage facilities.

In the IV-VI centuries. AD in Japan, huge tombs of local rulers, called "kofun", were already erected. The length of the tomb of Emperor Nintoku is 486 meters, it is larger in area than any of the Egyptian pyramids.

The oldest architectural monuments of Japan are Shinto and Buddhist places of worship - shrines, temples, monasteries.

The prototype of Japanese religious architecture is the Shinto shrine Ise Jingu (Mie Prefecture), built in the 7th century. in the style of shimmei and dedicated to the goddess of the sun Amaterasu Omikami, the progenitor of the imperial dynasty. Its main building (honden) is elevated above the ground and has steps on the wide side leading inside. Two columns support the ridge of the roof, which is decorated on both ends with crossbeams intersecting above it. Ten short logs lie horizontally across the ridge of the roof, and the whole structure is surrounded by a verandah with railings. For centuries, every 20 years, a new one has been built next to the sanctuary, and copying it exactly, the deities move from the old sanctuary to the new one. Thus, a “short-lived” type of architecture has survived to this day, the main characteristic features of which are pillars dug into the ground and a thatched roof.

Izumo Grand Shrine (Izumo Taisha) in Shimane Prefecture, like Ise Shrine, traces its history back to "mythical times". Periodically rebuilt until 1744, this temple faithfully kept the tradition of taisha, a style of Shinto architecture whose origins date back to the primitive era.

Temple buildings are almost devoid of color and decoration. All the beauty of these simple and practical buildings is created by solid unpainted wood.

It was believed that each Shinto deity ("kami") should have its own sanctuary. For example, three sea deities are revered at the Sumiyoshi Shrine in Osaka and, accordingly, there are three identical shrines for each deity. They are located one after another and resemble three ships on the high seas. And in the Kasuga temple in the city of Nara, 4 identical shrines were built side by side.

An important element of Shinto religious architecture is the gate to the shrine, the torii.

The arrival of Buddhism in Japan influenced Shinto, and the architecture of Buddhist temples influenced the architecture of Shinto shrines. The buildings began to be painted in blue, red and other bright colors, metal and wooden carved decorations were used, covered premises for worshipers and others began to be attached to the main structure of the sanctuary. utility rooms. Itsukushima Shrine was built on Inner Island Sea of ​​Japan near the city of Hiroshima. During high tide, it seems to float on the surface of the water. Not only the main buildings are combined into one whole, but also the boat pier, the stage for the performances of the Noh theater, and other structures.

Carefully laid huge stone blocks inside the burial mounds indicate that ancient Japan had a high technique of stone construction. However, from its inception until the adoption of the European building culture during the Meiji period, Japanese architecture used exclusively wood as a building material.

The use of wood as the main building material was determined by a number of reasons. Even today, Japan is one of the most densely forested countries in the world, and in the past there were even more forests. The procurement of materials and the construction of stone required much more effort than the use of wood. The choice of building material was also determined by the climate, with long hot and humid summers and rather short and dry winters. To make it easier to endure the heat, the rooms were made light and open, with a floor raised above the ground and a roof that had long overhangs that protected from the sun and frequent rains. The masonry did not allow for natural ventilation of the premises. The tree heats up less from the heat in summer, and cools less in winter, absorbs moisture better and, which is essential, better tolerates earthquake shocks that occur every day on Japanese islands. It also mattered that a wooden house could be dismantled and reassembled in a new place, which is very difficult in relation to a stone one.

Almost all Japanese buildings are combinations of rectangular elements. Circles appear only in the upper part of the structures of two-tiered pagodas. Thus, all buildings are combinations of support-beam structures with axial symmetry. In the construction of buildings, diagonals were practically not used to give rigidity, this was compensated by the use of durable wood - cypress, cedar.

Beginning with the Ise shrines, Japanese architecture has been dominated by a trend towards horizontal development of space. This was further enhanced by the characteristic roofs of the buildings. Tiled roofs with wide overhangs are a hallmark of Chinese architecture. Chinese architecture in Japan was used mainly in the construction of Buddhist monasteries and temples, which are the most important part of the religious architecture of Japan. An example of this is the one built at the beginning of the 8th century. Horyuji Buddhist temple is the oldest surviving monument of wooden architecture in the world. But even in it there is a Japanese flavor. In contrast to the heavily curved upward cornices characteristic of Chinese architecture, the descending rooflines of the Horyuji are so gracefully curved that they appear almost horizontal. In the future, the width of the cornice was further increased. So, with the wide borrowing of Chinese architecture, the emphasis on horizontality gave rise to an original and unique look of Japanese architecture.

By the 8th century The complex of buildings of the Buddhist monastery included 7 main buildings: a pagoda, a main hall, a sermon hall, a bell tower, a storage room for sutras, a sleeping room, and a dining room. In the temple complexes, the inner area of ​​a rectangular shape was surrounded by a roofed corridor in which a gate was made. The entire monastic territory was surrounded by outer earthen walls with gates on each side. Gates were named after the direction they pointed to. The main one was the Nandaimon, the Great South Gate. The inner gate - Tumon - was considered the third most important building in the temple after the main hall and pagoda. The most common type was a two-tiered gate. During the Asuka and Nara periods, the main hall containing the sacred object of worship was called kondo (literally, the golden hall), but already in the Heian era it was called hondo - the main hall. The sermon hall was the place where the monks gathered to receive instructions, to study and participate in rituals, it was usually the largest building in ancient monasteries. Halls in the temples of Horyuji and Toshodaiji have survived to our time.

When Buddhism entered Japan, sacred objects were the most important objects of worship, so the pagoda where they were located stood in the center of the monastery. In Asuka-dera (its construction began in 588), the pagoda was in the center, surrounded on three sides by the main halls. At Shitennoji Temple (circa 593), the single main hall was located behind the pagoda. This suggests that the pagoda was considered the most important structure. However, already in the monastery of Kawaradera (middle of the 7th century) and in the monastery of Horyuji (7th century), the pagoda was shifted from the center. In the Yakushiji Monastery (end of the 7th century), the central building is the main hall, and two pagodas have become decorative elements complex. Relating to the VIII century. the temples of Todaiji and Daianji also have two pagodas, but they are already built behind the inner fence, like the only pagodas of the temples of Kofukuji and Toshodaiji.

Even now, the sheer scale of the ancient Buddhist temples amaze their visitors. The hall housing the Daibutsu (Great Buddha Statue) at Todaiji Temple in Nara, completed in the 8th century, is the largest wooden structure in the world.

The features of Japanese architecture (the principle of horizontality, the fusion of architecture and the interior of buildings) manifested themselves most fully in residential buildings - both those that were built for the nobility and in the dwellings of the common people.

There are two main styles of Japanese traditional residential architecture: shinden and shoin.

The first got its name from the central building of the estate - the main hall of the shinden (literally - the sleeping hall).

In accordance with the law on the development of the capital of Heian (Kyo) (modern Kyoto), the manor occupied an area with a square side of approximately 120 meters and was surrounded by a row of low trees. estates bigger size accordingly, they were built on an area 2 or 4 times larger than the minimum. A typical estate had axial symmetry in the building, in the center was the main hall with access to the south. The roof of the hall was covered with cypress bark and hung on the south side above the steps leading to the hall from the landscaped garden. The carefully planned garden usually included a pond with islands connected by bridges. From the eastern, western and northern sides, pavilions and extensions adjoined the main hall. Each pavilion was connected to the main hall or to other outbuildings by closed or open passages. Various ceremonies were held in the garden, which occupied the entire southern part of the estate. An open pavilion for musical performances was built on piles on the pond, connected to the main building by several passages.

The main hall consisted of an inner room, surrounded on all 4 sides by a row of columns. The hall could be enlarged on one or more sides by adding an additional row of columns. Under the roof overhangs was a veranda. Doors were made on both sides, and the gaps between the outer columns were closed with lattice panels, which were hinged on top. Apart from a small room for sleeping and storing utensils, the interior space had practically no division. The floor was covered with boards, tatami (thick straw mats) and pillows for sitting and sleeping were laid on it, and privacy was ensured by the installation of folding screens and curtains, in addition, bamboo screens were hung on the beams used to fasten the hinges of the wall panels.

The only example of this type of building that has survived to this day is Gosho (the imperial palace in Kyoto), which served as a home for many generations of emperors.

Another important style of residential architecture is shoin (literally, a library or studio), which was formed under the influence of Zen Buddhism. So in the monasteries of the Zen sect, the chambers of the abbot were called. This style was developed during the Kamakura and Muromachi periods on the basis of classical Shinden, and during the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods it became widely used both in the living rooms and living quarters of monasteries, and in the homes of the military nobility. Until now, it serves as a model of a residential building in the traditional style.

Buildings with several floors appeared - Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) and Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) in Kyoto, the art of dry landscaped gardens arose, in which sand, stones and shrubs were used as symbols of water and mountains.

The earliest surviving example of shoin is the Togudo hall at Ginkakuji in Kyoto. Late shoin design, exemplified in the living room of the Kojoin Hall at Onjoji Temple, features sliding doors (mairado) with shoji (paper-lined sliding screens) inserted behind each door, tatami-covered floors, and the division of rooms into separate sections using square supports, walls and sliding screens (fusuma). All listed traits were an innovation and were not used in the shinden style.

The Kojoin hall contains 4 more components characteristic of shoin. These are a niche (tokonoma) in the back wall of the room, a stepped shelf (chigaidana) framing the niche, a built-in cabinet table (shoin) and decorative doors (chodaigamae) in the wall opposite the veranda. In many shoin rooms, these 4 interior elements were in that part of the hall where the floor was made slightly raised.

The cellular layout of the premises was widely used, where the smallest unit of space, which became the object of special creative efforts of the architect, was the chashitsu - the room for the tea ceremony, which turned into a perfect expression of Japanese aesthetics.

The idea of ​​tea houses influenced the architecture of palaces, which was expressed in the style of sukiya. A striking example of this style is the Katsura Rikyu Imperial Palace in Kyoto.

The shoin style reached its peak at the beginning of the Edo period, and the most outstanding specimen such architecture is the Ninomaru Palace in Nijo Castle in Kyoto (early 17th century).

An important aspect of traditional Japanese architecture is the relationship between the house and the surrounding space, in particular the garden. The Japanese did not consider the interior and exterior space as two separate parts, rather, both flowed into each other. In other words, there is no boundary where the interior space of the house ends and the exterior begins. A concrete expression of this concept is the veranda of a traditional Japanese house (engawa). It serves as a transit space on the way from the house to the garden. Its role is clearly reflected in the structural materials used: the interiors have floors covered with straw mats (tatami), outside - the earth and stones of the garden and paths, and the veranda is made of wooden, roughly processed beams, which are, as it were, an intermediate material between soft straw mats and hard uncut stones in the garden.

Most of the castles in Japan were built in the 16th century, during the internecine feudal wars. And although they were built as military bases, in peacetime castles were the basis for the formation of numerous cities. As a symbol of power, the castle was not only equipped with the main building of the tower type, but also turned into a true center of arts. Architecture, sculpture, handicrafts, painting and horticulture contributed aesthetically to one whole. The castle thus often lost its military character, becoming a kind of political and spiritual center.

The traditional dwellings of the non-ruling classes are collectively referred to as minka. Usually of a fairly simple design, they were built until the end of the 19th century, when Japanese architecture was not subject to Western influence. Minka in rural areas were called noka, in the villages of fishermen - gyoka, and in the cities - matiya.

The design mainly used wood - for the supporting columns and beams of the frame, as well as for the walls, floor, ceiling and roof. Between the columns, lattices of bamboo, fastened with lime, formed the walls. Lime was also used on the roof, which was then covered with grass. Straw was used to make hard thin mushiro mats and more durable tatami mats that were laid on the floor. The stone was used only for the foundation under the columns and was not used in the walls.

After the end of the period of self-isolation in port cities, western quarters began to form, which were built up with buildings familiar to foreigners. Russian buildings on Japanese soil also belong to this period.

With the Meiji Restoration in 1868, when Japan entered the path of modernization, new structural technologies who used brick and stone. The new style was widely recognized throughout the country as a style of buildings state enterprises and institutions. Office buildings and residences in the style of Western design became especially popular. Many architects from the USA and Europe worked in Japan. In 1879, a whole galaxy of architects graduated from the Tokyo College of Technology, who then began to play a leading role in the construction of the country.

The most famous Western-style buildings are the Bank of Japan and Tokyo Station by architect Tatsuno Kingo, the Akasaka Imperial Palace by architect Katayama Tokuma.

However, the stone and brick houses built by conventional methods could not withstand the 1923 earthquake that devastated Tokyo and the surrounding area. The progress achieved in the development of methods for the construction of earthquake-resistant buildings allowed reinforced concrete structures to appear in Japanese cities at about the same time as in Western Europe.

After the Second World War, Japan, recovering from severe shocks, entered a period of accelerated economic growth, when Japan's steel and concrete engineering architecture reached one of the highest levels in the world.

Significant progress in Japanese architecture became visible to everyone in 1964 during the summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. By this time, a complex of sports facilities designed by Tange Kenzo had been built. The building of the Olympic stadium has an original curved roof, resurrecting Japanese traditions.

Tange since the late 60s. creates a number of projects of buildings and complexes, in which he consistently develops the idea of ​​"spatial architecture", likening buildings and complexes to a growing tree. Now flexible spatial structure has become almost a mandatory feature of buildings being built in Japan.

The complex of skyscrapers in the west of Central Tokyo has become a symbol of Japan's economic power. In 1991, in the Shinjuku district, the tallest building in Tokyo, the Tokyo Municipality, was built according to the Tange project - 243 meters. This building with two 48-story towers resembles a European Gothic cathedral.

The designs of Ando Tadao are imbued with national traditions. In the buildings he built, access to natural light, to nature, is always thought out, thanks to which their inhabitants can enjoy unforgettable pictures, watching, for example, the change of seasons.

The activities of Kiyonori Kikutake, Kurokawa Kisho, Maki Fumihiko, Isozaki Arata and other architects also gained worldwide fame.

This article is devoted to the features of the traditional architecture of the country rising sun. The material may be useful when creating a presentation or essay on the topic "Japanese architecture".

Architecture of ancient Japan

Unusual Japanese architecture characterized by wooden buildings with heavy roofs and fairly light walls. Since Japan is warm and it often rains heavily, this is not surprising. In addition, local builders have always taken into account the danger of tremors.

Of the ancient Japanese buildings that have come down to our time, the most famous are the Shinto monasteries of Ise and Izumo. They are made of wood, have flat gable roofs that strongly extend beyond the territory of the building, reliably covering from precipitation. Izumo Shrine is very large, it rises to 24 m.

Izumo photo

The entry into the country of Buddhism was reflected in the dynamics of the local style of architecture.

One of the main technical innovations is the construction of a stone foundation. The oldest Shinto buildings were fixed on piles dug into the ground, the weight was distributed on them, which greatly limited the area and height of the building. The Asuka period (7th century) is characterized by an increase in the number of arched roofs with slightly raised corners, such as we can see on the traditional temples and pagodas of Japan. For the construction of monasteries, a special planning of temple complexes is being developed.

Traditional Japanese architecture

Regardless of what type of temple - whether Buddhist, Shinto - it is a whole ensemble of religious buildings, and not a separate building, exactly like the old Russian monasteries. The traditional Japanese temple originally included 7 buildings:

1. Territory fence gate (samon),
2. Golden, he is the main temple (condo),
3. Temple for preaching (kodo),
4. Tower with bells or drums (gray or koro),
5. Treasury - an analogue of the sacristy (shosoin),
6. Book depository (kyozo),
7. Pagoda with many tiers.

The Japanese believe that landscape and architecture only go well together when both are made from the same material. That is why the Japanese monastery, connecting with the surrounding landscape, is, as it were, its man-made continuation. In the temple courtyards there is a place for reflection and meditation, a stone garden, which partly repeat the landscape around the temple, local nature, as well as the general idea of ​​the universe as a whole.

Architecture of medieval Japan

Second half of the 1st millennium A.D. e. a magnificent example of the architectural delights of this time - masterpiece of Japanese architecture Temple Todaiji, built in 743-752. This wooden complex is the largest in the world.

Todaiji photo

It is rare to find massive, heavy structures in Japan, despite being a country of wooden structures. Almost always there are some light graceful elements that strive upward and balance the structure. So, as such a detail, a Phoenix is ​​installed on the roof of the Golden Pavilion.

On pagodas, as a rule, there are continuations of the central pole of the building frame - the spire.

Depending on the area where the Buddhist temple was built - a mountain or a plain - its complexes differed in layout. If the temple was placed on a plain, then the buildings were arranged symmetrically. For those structures that are located in the mountains, the symmetry of the buildings is almost impossible, so the builders each time were forced to look for the most convenient location for each element of the temple.

In medieval Japan in the 13th century, the variety of Buddhism practiced by the Zen sect, as well as the “kara-e”, that is, the Chinese vision of architecture, combined with it, spread widely. The Zen temple complex traditionally consisted of 2 pairs of gates (main and subsequent), passing from the gate on both sides of the covered galleries, as well as two harmoniously located temples, which were considered the most important: the house of the deity, where the statue of Buddha was located, as well as a structure for prayers .

Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) is one of the most striking manifestations cultural heritage secular architecture of the late 14th century. It was erected by Emperor Yoshimitsu in 1397.

Golden Pavilion Kinkakuji photo

In the 14th century, Zen architecture reached its maximum development. The wars and unstable politics of Japan created the so-called castle architecture, which peaked in 1596-1616. Since that time, stone has been widely used in the construction of castles, so it was expected that the building would exist for centuries.

The central part of the castle was occupied by tenshu - a standard tower, at first the only one, then they began to build several of them. The castle complexes of Okayama and Nagoya had colossal dimensions, which, unfortunately, were destroyed in the 20th century.

Recreated Okayama

Tea houses are a distinctive example of the traditional architecture of the Land of the Rising Sun. It is believed that the tea ceremony should be as simple as possible, without frills, as it reflects reconciliation and asceticism. Tea houses amaze with their variety - from an ordinary hut to an intricately decorated box - more than a hundred types in total.

Best Japanese Architecture Video

The video from the series "The most beautiful monuments of world architecture" tells about the most famous temple in Kyoto - Kinkakuji, or the Golden Pavilion. This building is called so because its outer sides are upholstered with gold sheets. The temple was erected as the abode of the great general Yoshimitsu.

Genre of the article - Culture of Japan

Shintoism (literally - the way of the gods) was the traditional religion of ancient Japan, before the 6th century. Buddhism came to the country. Shinto services were originally held in beautiful and majestic places, bounded by stone mounds or other natural boundaries. Later, natural materials - mainly wood for the frame and grass for the roof - were used in the construction of simple architectural forms, such as gates, or torii, and small temples.

Shinto shrines with raised floors and gabled roofs (modeled on agricultural barns) tied religion to the Japanese landscape, Shinto was folk religion and did not produce significant architectural structures. The organization of space, the careful use of natural materials to create places of worship, brought a special spirit to religious service. The preparation of the place played no less a role than the service itself.

A staircase leading to a single doorway in a plank wall leads up to a raised chapel above the ground. Verandas run along the perimeter of the main room. One free-standing column at each end supports the ridge.

The frame of the temple buildings was made of Japanese cypress. The columns were dug directly into the ground, unlike early temples, where the columns were set on stone foundations.

The most important element, and one of the earliest architectural forms of a Shinto shrine, is the torii gate. They consisted of two wooden poles, usually dug directly into the ground, which supported two horizontal beams. It is believed that such a device allowed the prayer to pass through the torii gate.

The earliest Shinto shrine is in Ise. The temple complex Ise-naiku (inner temple) was erected in honor of the goddess of the Sun.

The temple in Ise is rectangular in plan, with a gable thatched roof. Over the ridge of the roof at the ends, intersecting rafters - tigs diverge. The massive roof was supported by cypress pillars dug directly into the ground.
Ise is located in the southeast of the island of Honshu, in an area of ​​amazing natural beauty that has been used in Shinto worship for centuries.

The ensemble at Ise, according to tradition, had to be completely rebuilt every twenty years. All buildings and fences exactly repeated the old ones. After the construction of a new one, the old complex was destroyed.

A key element of early Shinto shrines is a wooden fence - tamagaki, consisting of horizontal boards mounted on vertical posts.

Buddhist temples

Buddhism came to Japan from Korea and China in the 6th century, which led to the emergence of new rituals and new architectural forms. The decorativeness of architecture increased dramatically, surfaces began to be decorated with carvings, painting, varnishing and gilding. Details such as skillfully made consoles on soffits (the inner surface of the roof), thatched roofs with carved profiles, and decorated columns appeared. The first Buddhist temple in Japan was built near the city of Nara. While Shinto temple buildings had a strictly defined outline, the early Buddhist temples did not have any strict plan, although they usually included a kondo (sanctuary), a pagoda, as well as a kado - a teaching hall, outbuildings.

An important part of the roof of Japanese Buddhist sanctuaries were consoles - an element that adorns the spotlights of the veranda and supports overhanging cornices. The consoles were usually wooden and richly decorated.

The base of the columns and its upper part, as well as the cross beams, show how richly the interior of the temple was decorated. The motifs of wildlife, scooped from embroidery, were used. In the inner sanctuary, the details of the columns and beams were gilded.

This reproduction shows the torii of the Yokohama temple complex and the two monuments marking the entrance to the thatched shrine, located in a grove. This is a good illustration of how important the outer space was to the sanctuary.

The main shrine (kondo) at Horyuji is one of the world's oldest surviving timber-framed buildings. The condo stands on a stone two-level base with stairs. The building is topped with a gable roof. A covered gallery was later added around the first floor.

Pagodas usually had three to five stories, tapering slightly at each level to create a characteristic profile with stepped overhanging roofs. High buildings on these islands, where the threat of an earthquake always remains, they are made of light and flexible wooden structures.

There are three stages in the development of Buddhist temple architecture in Japan. Early period known as "early historical". It is subdivided into the Asuka, Nara and Heian periods. In the art of medieval Japan (since the 12th century), the Kamakura and Muromachi periods stand out. From the 16th to the 19th centuries Momoyama and Edo periods. If Shinto and early Buddhist temples had a simple and clear design, then later Buddhist architecture was very decorative and not always constructive. For example, the cantilever ends of the gates of the temple of the XVII century. in Nikko are carved with dragon heads and unicorns instead of a simple protruding element.

Sculpture has played an important role in Buddhist architecture. Carved wooden or stone lanterns, or ishidoros, were placed at the outer approaches to the temple. The same lanterns could be used in private gardens. This stone monument stood with thousands of others in a sacred grove. The monuments were about 3-6 m high and consisted of individual stones in the form of a lotus and a dome at the top.

The bell is an integral part of Buddhist services. Buddhism introduced chants, gongs, drums and bells into the religious rituals of Japan.

The five-storied pagoda ends with a slender column that further increases its height and echoes the surrounding trees. The pagoda and other buildings are surrounded by a wall of intricately carved wooden panels and a stone base.

Beginning in the 12th century, kondos became temples in which they prayed, so the interior space was expanded to accommodate worshipers. This drawing, a rarely seen depiction of the temple's interior, shows its scale. The roof rests on a frame of cross beams connected by decorated joints.

Skillfully made gates, reminiscent of temples, as if guarding Buddhist shrines. Shown here is the east gate of the temple of Nishi Honganji Monastery in Kyoto. The pillars, roof and gates are elaborately decorated, implying the richness and importance of the temple.

The gate of the temple in Nikko is heavily roofed, decorated with carvings depicting dragons, clouds, lacquering and painted reliefs. This spoke of the status of the shogun family who ordered the construction of this temple.

Architecture of residential buildings

Climate and geological conditions have influenced the architecture of residential buildings in Japan. The houses were usually built with a south-facing, they had protruding cornices and high walls of courtyards. Sliding windows and partitions made it possible to take full advantage of the sea breezes. One-story wooden buildings withstood constant earthquakes. The houses, which, according to European architects, were three centuries old, were very similar to new houses. This shows how important tradition is in building in Japan.

The most common form of roof for both a residential building and a temple was a gable thatched roof. The skate was performed differently in each locality. The picture shows a merchant's house near Tokyo, which has an additional gable with a triangular window underneath.

An important component of the Japanese house is a covered portico, or veranda. A short additional roof, or hisashi, often protrudes from under the main roof eaves. It is made of wide thin boards supported by posts or consoles.
Just as the entrance to a Shinto shrine and Buddhist temples is decorated with gates, so a traditional Japanese home has a veranda or vestibule that marks the entrance to the building. Shoji (moving screens) separate the lobby from the interior.

In traditional Japanese houses, the windows are inserted not with glass, but with frosted paper, which lets in subdued light. They are bound in wood or bamboo. The inner screens (upper left) are more elaborately decorated with thin strips of wood.

A traditional Japanese home consists of interconnected rooms separated by sliding screens and small walkways. The rooms are not crowded with furniture, which indicates a flexible system for dividing rooms according to their intended purpose.

Residential city houses of the XIX century. ranged from rows of tiny apartments under a common thatched roof, with separate exits, to rich houses with elaborate roofs with chimneys, with a veranda and a wide window to the street.

Government and business buildings

Since the 7th century, urban architecture in Japan has been inspired by Chinese urban planning, especially in the area of ​​planning. Both in Chinese cities, such as Beijing, and in the Japanese cities of Kyoto and Nara in the 8th century. the streets intersected at right angles, in the center was the imperial palace, and the houses of the nobility, other palaces and government buildings lined up symmetrically, along the north-south axis. While temples and residential buildings were simple, government buildings and houses of the aristocracy stood out for their monumentality. Artfully built castles with traditional roof shapes dominated the landscape.

palace wall

The monumental wall surrounding the palace expands towards the base. She defends attacks. Sometimes they also made a moat with water. The end wall, with a plinth of coarse sandstone, is covered with yellow plaster, with three parallel white stripes, indicating that the palace belongs to a person of royal origin.

Palace in Tokyo

Starting from the end of the 16th century, buildings built on small terraces fit perfectly into the landscape. This small palace in Tokyo is an example of this interaction between architecture and landscape.

The engineering thought embodied in this series of wooden bridges is the Japanese answer to frequent earthquakes. Curved bridges, roofs of low buildings blend well with the hilly terrain.

Emperor's Court (XIX century)

This courtyard with steps and the absence of partitions between the hall and the emperor's room create a solemn impression.

tea factories

This complex of buildings is close in form to the architecture of dwellings and temples, with overhanging gable roofs resting on open consoles.
Starting from the 16th century, tea houses began to be built for the traditional ritual of tea drinking. The tea house was usually decorated in a rustic style, with rough finishes. The picture shows how the doorways with shutters and deep verandas make it possible to admire the surrounding landscape.

In many ways, it resembles Chinese Japanese architecture. Loved here too building material there was a tree, and building traditions remained almost unchanged for many centuries. Even now, despite the development of technology and the construction of ultra-modern cities, a significant part of them prefer lightweight wooden houses. Moreover, Japanese aesthetics, which was formed in the Middle Ages or even earlier, big influence on the formation of modern European design.

In Japanese buildings, wood was not even always painted. Knots and cracks on the surface of the wood were often played up as decorative details. The main type of construction, as in China, was a pavilion, rectangular in plan, surrounded by a gallery, with a roof, the corners of which had a curved shape.

A characteristic feature of Japanese architecture is more than in China, the spread of multi-tiered pagodas. Japanese architecture is also distinguished from Chinese by less monumentality. Structures, even temples, are usually small in size. When coloring, one or two are usually used. bright colors, harmony with light or dark shades of natural materials. The location of buildings in an architectural complex, as a rule, is asymmetric.

Despite the general conservatism Japanese culture, certain changes in architectural forms are noticeable here. The first sacred buildings in Japan were pantries, which were winter stocks of rice. The attitude towards such structures was not just practical, but religious. They were considered the repository of life. Storerooms were placed on tall pillars so that moisture does not spoil the grain. In front of them, holidays were held in honor of the harvest. In the first centuries of our era, the first temples appeared, erected in honor of the gods, deputies of farmers. For samples, they were ruled by ancient sacred storerooms. The Japanese climate is not conducive to the long-term preservation of wooden buildings, but some of ancient temples survived to our time by custom, which may seem surprising to us. The Japanese dismantled their temples every twenty years and built exactly the same, from new material. And so all the time, for two millennia. That is why our contemporaries can see, for example, the Ise Shrine as it was built by the ancient builders. This temple is dedicated to two deities - the sun goddess Amaterasu and the patroness of cereals Toyouka.

The main building of the Nike ensemble of the Zionist sanctuary in Ise. III - V centuries.

It is an ensemble of very simple rectangular buildings located in the forest. The temple area is surrounded by four concentric fences. The material for them is the golden wood of the local cypress.

The next stage in the development of Japanese architecture is associated with the construction of the first permanent imperial capital, instead of a temporary residence. The capital city was Nara. A certain period in the development of Japanese culture, covering the second half of the 7th - 8th centuries, was also named after him. Buddhism is currently spreading in Japan. Regarding architecture, it is under great influence from China. They even build temples and Buddhist monasteries of grandiose sizes, which is not at all characteristic of Japanese ideas about beauty. The oldest of the Japanese Buddhist monasteries that have survived is Horyuji Monastery, near Nara. Its complex includes several wooden pavilions painted with red lacquer. The main building is called the Kondo, or Golden Hall. It is topped with a two-tiered roof. The complex also includes a pagoda, reaching 32 m in height.

Ensemble of Horyuji monastery near Nara. 7th century General form main square

Kondo of Horyuji Monastery. 7th century

Kondo of Xopyuji Monastery. 7th century Section and plan

Pagoda Gojunoto Mon. Horyuji at Nara. 607r. General view and plan

The largest structure of the Nara period was the Daibutsuden Temple of Tonaiji Monastery. In the middle of the temple, a sixteen-meter statue of a seated Buddha was installed. At the entrance to the monastery, two pagodas were installed, the height of which is one hundred meters.

How did it all start? What distinguishes modern Japanese architecture? What are national architects interested in now?

Anastasia Mikhalkina is an art historian and specialist in modern architecture.

Speaking about the architecture of Japan, it is necessary to understand the combination of traditions and new technologies. Tradition means adherence to religious beliefs (the path of Buddhism and Shintoism), as well as the basics of building traditional houses (minka). While new technologies are not only achievements in science and technology, but also the influence of Western architecture on construction in Japan.

This was especially pronounced in the 20th century, when, after the discovery of the country in 1868, European influence in all spheres of life in Japan. It was visited by such architects as Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, even Walter Gropius influenced the development of new architecture. However, Japanese architects over time began to “grind” European principles of construction to suit their way of life and lifestyle, which can now be observed in modern facilities.

In the buildings of the 21st century, Japanese architects strive to create comfortable housing. A prerequisite becomes an inscription of the object in the space surrounding it. Therefore, on the one hand, for people unfamiliar with this feature, the surrounding buildings, especially in residential areas, may seem dull or strange (a warehouse house or a polygon house). However, this principle comes out of the reverent attitude of the Japanese to personal space. For them, the house is a separate world that no one should see. They don't see, they don't envy. But the residents are much more comfortable and cozy.

But this is only a facade that looks like an unpretentious reinforced concrete box, while inside the architects recreate a whole castle from light, free space, a Japanese traditional garden. But, you ask, where? Indeed, this question is very helpful. If you look at the layout of the houses, you can see that this or that object has an area of ​​​​only 30 or 40 square meters. m. But this applies only to urban architecture, country houses are much more spacious. Is this normal for Japan and citizens? Indeed it is. The Japanese have long been accustomed to getting along even for several generations in a small space of 30x30 meters. From this arises another trend towards the construction of high-rise buildings reaching for the sky. If not in breadth, then up.

The trend in the construction of "small houses" was revealed by the architect Kenzo Kuma. He speaks of this as a challenge that Japanese architects accept and - using the example of building houses and municipal facilities - demonstrate their skills. Until now, reinforced concrete and natural wood, glass and plywood are used in the construction.

In addition, I would like to draw attention to several modern buildings erected in Tokyo. One of these is the house on Naka-Ikegami Street (Naka-Ikegami, 2000) by architect Tomoyuki Itsumi. Outside, the house is unremarkable, inscribed in the space of neighboring houses, pressing it into the square. It looks like a warehouse, but, as the architect admits, this house was conceived as a dwelling with many storage spaces. The area is 44 sq. m. The color scheme of the premises is white furniture with small patches of wooden floors, which visually expands the space. On the ground floor there is a garage, a children's room and a bathroom.

Second floor - kitchen-dining room. The third is the master bedroom. The whole house is lined with closets, spaces where you can store toys or clothes. There is nothing superfluous here, things are not scattered, but rather removed in all possible corners of the house. In this regard, it is very functional. On the second floor, where the kitchen and dining room are located, all appliances are built into white cabinets. The kitchen is divided into zones - a cooking zone and a refectory zone. Utensils are stowed away in a table-island, which moves apart, turning into an additional place for cooking. There are also cupboards in the floor where you can store bulky items. The bedroom has only a bed and a wardrobe built into the wall. The closet is deep, follows the shape of the roof, it is designed for both clothes and utensils. An interesting solution to the interior space, when the architect seeks to hide everything in the walls of the house, but it is very convenient and functional.

Another residential building is called Patio (Patio, 2011). Designed by Yaita and Associates, the main architects are Hisaaki Yaita and Naoko Yaita.

In plan - wide and elongated. The area is 80 sq. m. The desire of the customer was to create a house that would not attract attention from the outside and would be closed from everyone, while the interior space was to become a stronghold of the family, a place of rest. And the architects brought it to life. From the outside, the house is unremarkable. Except that the lower volume with a courtyard and a parking space is a pedestal for the protruding top - the second floor. It looks like a mushroom. The first floor is lowered underground, then there is a layer for the entrance and garage, and then the second floor.

The first floor is chamber - there are bedrooms and a bathroom. There is also a patio. From the side of the street, the walls are lined with metal, and from the courtyard they are glass sliding structures. In the layer between the first and second floors there is a small tea room in Japanese style. The floors are covered with tatami mats, there is a tokomon niche with a scroll. The second floor is a living-dining room with a kitchen.

Between the layer and the third floor there is a small gap through which light and fresh air pass. Top floor on the one hand - concrete, on the other - covered with glass. The roof is also glass, due to which natural, sunlight always enters the room.

Another building - Ako House (Aso House, 2005) on Setagaya Street - was erected by a group of architects from Atelier Bow-Wow: Yoshiharu Tsukamoto and Momoyo Kaijima.

private building, total area which is only 35.51 sq. m., inscribed in a corner between other houses and the road. The main material used in the construction is wood. The architects decided to take a non-standard approach to the 3-storey building. The plan shows that the rooms make up separate blocks that collect the entire space of the house into a single whole, like in the Tetris game. The staircase was divided into segments, placing it along the wall from the entrance to the roof terrace. Thus, it connects all five levels of the house (all the walls are curved or slanting, some rooms occupy one and a half floors of the building in terms of plan). On the ground floor there is a garage, an office, a library and a bathroom. On the second floor there is a kitchen-dining room. On the third floor - bedroom, mezzanine and terrace. The interior is made in the style of minimalism. Wide windows from the courtyard to almost the entire wall expand the space and allow the penetration of natural light, as well as an open roof terrace. Wooden floors and furniture add coziness, and from the sprawling trees outside the window there is a feeling of calm and warmth.

The main tasks that the national masters set themselves were what new architectural forms to create, how to fit them into environment how to make it as useful and functional as possible. National architecture made it possible to accommodate comfort, space and air in some 30 square meters. m. Agree, the achievement is not small. It is believed that the architecture of modern Japan does not stand still. Architects constantly resort to new materials, new forms, new construction technologies. It is true that Japanese modern architecture will continue to amaze and amaze, and foreign architects will increasingly be inspired by it and adopt the trends of national masters who have managed to reach a new level in creating houses.

The material was prepared especially for BERLOGOS.