Date: November 8, Wednesday
Time: Online Streaming >> 10:00 to 11:30
Guest Speaker: Professor Manuel Tardits, Co-founder of architect office Mikan, and professor of architecture at Meiji University.
Format: A Zoom link will be shared with attendees in the registration confirmation email and also in a reminder email on the day prior to the event.
Fee: No payment is required.
RSVP by November 6
Born French with a Belgian mother, I spent part of my childhood in central western Africa and, up to nowadays, more than half of my life in Japan. My three partners, including my wife at Mikan, our architectural practice, are Japanese. I used to tease my Japanese students, asking them how long they have been living in Japan, telling them afterwards that I have been here longer than them! My architectural studies have taken nearly as long in Paris as in Tokyo afterwards. What ties me to France is my childhood and school education but over all my language. I read and write a lot… in French; this is my secret garden. For their parts, my architectural life and interests are mostly in Japan. However, as I suddenly discovered this country at the age of 26 on October 8, 1985, I opened my eyes to a new world. This meant trying to understand the logic behind what I was seeing. The journey was long, but my first source of concern was the urban environment –Tokyo to name it. Then came present architectural practice which I had not experienced in France. I discovered contemporary works, eventually starting to look carefully at traditional architecture too: Maki Fumihiko, my former professor, Ito Toyo for whom I worked, and many others were influential. On the other hand, old wooden constructions and tea pavilions are an exquisite lesson to me now. Time is passing, though I try to keep the puzzled eyes I had this first fall morning.
Professor Manuel Tardits Profile
Prof. Manuel Tardits was born in Paris in 1959. He studied sculpture at the Ecole des Beaux Arts and architecture at UPA 1 France, then received a Master of Engineering from the University of Tokyo. He is the co-founder of architect office Mikan, based in Yokohama since 1995. He also serves as a professor of architecture at Meiji University.
His office has received numerous prizes, including Holcim Awards 2014 for the Centre of the French School of Far East in Kyoto (EFEO) and Best Work Prize of the Architectural Institute of Japan 2016 for the Renovation of Manseibashi Station in Tokyo.
He is also the author of many books, including Danchi Saisei Keikaku / Save the danchi, L’archipel de la maison, Tôkyô, Portraits and Fictions and The Carpenter and the Architect.
