Contemporary Japanese Houses

Description

Over forty projects showcase the immense variety among Japanese detached houses constructed over the past three years. Some of these houses are designed around the concept of 'intermediate space' featuring courtyards, landscapes, and tearooms. Others take 'how to respond to the environment' as the design theme, employing green building techniques and outdoor insulation, etc; while others are inspired by the question of 'how to implement one's lifestyle', focusing on urban housing, family reconstitution, and variability. Readers will learn about the meaning and the story behind these designs through every project description, experiencing the conciseness which defines Japanese house design. In addition to this, Professor Zhao Xiang from Fukuoka University discusses various reasons for this diversity. His informative description of architecture and design theory will help the reader understand the methods behind Japanese house creation, and this book also includes useful reference materials, which can be used as a basis for new houses in the Japanese style. AUTHOR: After his graduation from Xi an University of Architecture and Technology and Tsinghua University Zhao Xiang worked at the Design Institute of the Ministry of Commerce for nearly ten years. He then continued his studies in Japan and completed his Master's and PhD qualifications at University of Tokyo and eventually got his PhD in Engineering. After working for Okada & Associates in Tokyo for four years, he became a full-time teacher at Fukuoka University. He is now a professor and serves as the Director of the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering in the graduate school and as Dean of Studies of the Department of Architecture in the Faculty of Engineering. SELLING POINTS: . A reference book designed to showcase the immense variety of modern Japanese architecture . All projects featured in the book were completed in the last three years . The author is a professor from Fukuoka University, with wide experience in both teaching and designing 380 colour, 110 b/w images

Zhao Xiang first studied at Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology and then Tsinghua University. After graduation he worked at China's Design Institute of the Ministry of Commerce for close to a decade. Following this, he travelled to Japan to study, completed his Masters and PhD courses at University of Tokyo and achieved a PhD (Engineering). After working for Okada & Associates in Tokyo for four years, he became a full-time teacher at Fukuoka University. Xiang is now a professor at the university, and has served as Director of the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering in the graduate school and Dean of Studies of the Department of Architecture in the Faculty of Engineering.