TADAO ANDO – CHURCH ON THE WATER

Biography

• Tadao Ando was born in Osaka in 1941
• 1962-69 – is self-taught in architecture and travel
• USA, Europe, Africa.
• 1969 – Founding of the study ‘Tadao Ando Architect   & Associates’, Osaka, Japan.
• 1969 – He taught at Yale University.
• 1969 – He taught at Columbia University.
• 1979 – Prize of the Architectural Institute of Japan.
• 1989 – ‘Gold Medal’ of the French Academy of Architecture.
• 1985 – Alvar Aalto Medal.
• 1992 – Carlsberg Architectural Prize.
• 1994 – The Japan Art Grand Prix.
• 1995 – The Asahi Prize.
• 1995 – The Pritzker Architecture Prize.
• 1996 – The 8th Praemium Imperiale.
• 1997 – RIBA’s Gold Medal, London.
• 2002 – Honorary Doctorate conferred from the Faculty of Architecture, Rome.

CHURCH ON THE WATER:

“Covered in snow from December to April, the area becomes a beautiful white expanse of land. Water has been diverted from a nearby river, and a man-mane pond 90×45 meters has been created. The depth of the pond was carefully set so that the surface of the water would be subtlu affected by the wind, and even a slight breeze would cause ripples.” Tadao Ando.

LOCATION:

Tomamu, Yusutsu County, Hokkaido,

Japan Climate:  Japan has a very varied climate for its remarkable development latitude, summer is tropical while winter is cold and rainy.

Temperature:  Winter -4 ° C, summer 20-21 ° C

DETAILS:

• Architect: Tadao Ando
• Committee: local government
• Project: 09.1985-04.1988
• Completion: 04.1988-09.1988
• Structural engineer: Ascoral Engineering Associates
• Building company: Obayashi Corporation Co.
• Structure: Reinforced concrete
• Built area: 344.9 sqm
• Total area: 520 sqm

DESCRIPTION:

• The chapel is placed on a mountain plateau central Hokkaido, the coldest region in Japan, where nature is wild.
• The entire area, is green from spring to summer, and in winter strips turned into a white expanse.
• In plan, the chapel is formed by the overlapping of two squares, one small and one large, and overlooks a pond made by diverting a stream that flows through the vicinity.
• A wall independent, L-shaped around the rear of the building and on one side of the pond.
• The chapel is entered from the back and along the path approaching the wall.
• The murmur of the water takes visitors along the way, without, however, that they see the lake.
• After a hundred and eighty degree turn, go up a gently sloping path to reach an area of access to the Chapel is closed on four sides by glass, a kind of container of light.
• Traveled to scale curve that leads to the chapel, the visitor finds the view of the lake through the glass wall in front of the altar you can see the expanse of water and a large cross.

DEPTH FURNISHING:

• This chair was specifically designed for this church.
• The chair has a relaxing effect on its user, and echoes the brilliant inspiration of a church that calls to awaken the senses and brotherhood with nature.

Style and Philosophy:

• Considered a patron oother projectsf Minimalism but doesn’t compromises with the design
• Pure space enveloped in concrete rectangular forms – pure space and simple form
• The column has become merely a symbol that addresses culture and history
• Extensive use of Concrete and glass in the pure form
• Interior of the building are the form itself, ridicules the idea of masking it
• Simplified, rectilinear forms and bare, naked concrete walls that define the spaces within
• Style- element of Light, Water through concrete and glass

Other projects:

• Church of Light
• International Library of Children’s Literature (2002)
• Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum and Annex
• The Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art in the city of Kobe opened in 2001. The sea-facing concrete, stone and glass building, located in Kobe’s newly developed waterfront area, is a symbol of recovery in a city which was devastated by the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995.
• Tadao Ando’s cylindrical, one-story “Space for Contemplation” in the UNESCO compound, is paved with granite slabs from Hiroshima that were irradiated during the explosion of the H-bomb in August, 1945.
• Tadao Ando Langen Foundation,Neuss, Germany
• Nagaragawa Convention Center

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