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In Japan, there are many shrines and Buddhist temples that enshrine gods and Buddha. The term “Shinto Shrines and Buddhist Temples” (Jinja Bukkaku) is used to include both shrines and temples and can be read separately as “kami” (gods) and “yashiro” (shrines) and “takadono” (Buddha). The word “shrine” can also mean a “hokora” which means temple, and the word “takadono” which refers to a magnificent palace. In short, we can see that both words refer to buildings. In other words, shrines and temples are buildings that enshrine both Shinto Gods and Buddha. The first two letters represent Shinto (shrines), and the following two letters represent Buddhism (temples).

This might be attributed to the mere sensitivity of the Japanese people, who have no specific gods or religions. and often feel invisible power over all things in the forest, but shrines and temples are often mentioned as places that lead to good luck (power spots).

At this time of year, when we have more opportunities to visit shrines and temples, we would like to introduce some power spots both in Japan and overseas.

1.Increase Your Luck In Finance                                                                                                                                                             

■Fountain of Wealth (Singapore)

Singapore is a cosmopolitan city that has prospered as a trading hub since ancient times. The Fountain of Wealth (built in 1995/recognized by the Guinness Book of Records in 1998), located in the grounds of the Suntec City Mall in the Marina district of Singapore, is the world’s largest fountain designed based on Feng Shui. In Feng Shui, water is a symbol of wealth, so it is said that the fountain was designed with the surrounding skyscrapers in mind as symbolic of fingers grasping money in their palms. The practice of tracing a circle around three times in the water with your finger this fountain with your right hand has become a tourist attraction as a power spot to increase money luck and financial strength. One thing to remember is that you can only touch the fountain for a certain amount of time, so be sure to check the facility’s website beforehand…

2.Luck in Work

■Charging Bull (USA)

This bronze statue of a bull was created by sculptor Arturo Di Modica in the hope that it would boost the stock prices of the U.S. economy, which was depressed after Black Monday (New York stock market crash) in 1986. Not only is this dynamic silhouette alone full of power, but the statue also became world famous as a power spot after it became widely known that Wall Street stockbrokers touched the statue every morning on their way to work to pray for a rise in stock prices and success in their jobs, leading to the relation between the words “bull market” and “bull”. The statue was first installed without permissions in front of the New York Stock Exchange in December 1989, but later settled down in the current location of Bowling Green due to passionate protests from the public. Through such anecdotes, one can feel the incredible power of the bronze statue.

3.Luck in Health

■Machu Picchu Ruins (Peru)

Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most famous tourist attractions in the world, is considered to be one of the most beautiful ancient ruins in the world. Because it is located at the top of the mountain at an altitude of 2,280 meters, it cannot be seen from the foot of the mountain and is also called the “City in the Air”.It is said that the spectacular view purifies and cleanses the mind of those who see it. In the ruins of Machu Picchu, it is still unknown why the city was built in the mountains about 114 km northwest of Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire. Intihuatana, the highest granite rock in the ruins of Machu Picchu, is said to be the most powerful spot in the city, and biggest power spot in the ruins. It is said that f you hold your hand over the stone, you can receive divine power.

4.Luck in Love

■Tin Hau Temple (Hong Kong)

Tin Hau Temple is a temple located in various parts of Hong Kong that is home to many different deities. The largest of these is the Tin Hau Temple at Repulse Bay (a beach in the south of Hong Kong Island). It is said that the Moon God is the god of love and marriage, and that if you stroke the marriage stone next to the Moon God and that, if they are connected, a man and woman can meet even if they are 1,000 miles apart, and many people visit the temple as a power spot for romantic success. Unlike the Japanese gods, these gods are very colorful, resembling that of a theme park, which is very Hong Kong-like. However, this is also a way to show children what God is like is a simplistic way, and to make them feel closer to God, sacred being, by showing them the religion based on Feng Shui in various forms and shapes.

Repulse Bay was also the setting for the famous Hollywood movie “Love is A Many Splendored Thing” If interested, why not check out the movie as well?

Finally, for those of you who want to improve your luck in general… I’m here to help you.

5.Good Luck

■Takayama Inari Shrine

Takayama Inari Shrine, located in Tsugaru City, Aomori Prefecture, is on a hill with a wonderful view of the Japanese Sea. After climbing more than a hundred stone steps to the shrine, you will see there is a Shinto Garden in the vicinity, and beyond that, a beautiful Japanese garden with multiple rows of Senbon Torii gates. Once you pass through the Senbon Torii, you will see a fantastic view of the shrine and the foxes, the messengers of the gods, as if you have wandered into another world.It is said to be very beneficial for a good harvest, safety at sea, and prosperity in business, but it is also known for all sorts of other beliefs such as household safety, fishing, protection on the road, and healing of illness It is said that many people from all over Japan visit this Inari Shrine for its spiritual power.

■Sources:

https://sunteccity.com.sg/

http://www.chargingbull.com/

https://worldheritagesite.xyz/machu-picchu/

https://www.hongkongnavi.com/miru/125/

https://takayamainari.jp/top.html

 

In recent months, we have been receiving more and more opportunities related to schools, including webinars with the Hanoi  University of Construction and the Ho Chi Minh University of Architecture, and a webinar on the utilization of closed schools.

It can be said that schools play a very important role in forming a city where people gather and breathe.

Schools are institutions that play a central role in the education system, but when we look at them from the aspect of architecture, we find  that they coexist and live in harmony with the local culture, history, and customs, and that they are highly functional and artistic  buildings.

In this article, we would like to introduce some of the many schools in the world that have coexisted with culture and history.

#1.M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, (Russia)

Founded in 1755 at the initiative of world-renowned scientist Mikhail Moronosov, the university is Russia’s oldest and largest, and one of the world’s leading scientific and academic centers. (Moronosov was a world-famous scientist who was often quoted as being a “Leonardo da Vinci” for his glass-making skills, theoretical work in physics and chemistry, astronomy, geography research, writing grammars, historical papers, ode poems, translating poetry, and developing mosaic panels.)

The main building uses an architectural style known as “Stalin architecture”. It is commonly called the “Seven Sisters” because there are seven buildings of this architectural style in Russia. (As the name implies, Joseph Stalin had them built as a symbol of his dictatorship.)The most magnificent of the Seven Sisters is the main building of Moscow State University. It is 240 meters high, has 32 floors, 40,000 rooms, and can accommodate about 6,000 people. Currently, it is mainly used as a student dormitory. The vast 230-hectare site houses 27 major buildings, including school buildings, student dormitories, parks, botanical gardens, and an observatory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

#2. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Mexico)

Founded in 1551, the university was completed in 1552 after more than 60 architects and artists designed and built the campus in 1949. It is the second oldest university in the Americas and the oldest in Mexico. The main campus was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. The campus, a fusion of traditional Mexican culture and modern architecture, houses not only various faculties and research institutes, but also museums, the Olympic Stadium, supermarkets, theaters, and cinemas, forming a university city. One of the most eye-catching features is the mural painting in the Biblioteca Central (Central Library). It is said to be one of the largest murals in the world, and on all four walls (north, south, east, and west) There are mosaics on the themes of “Aztec Civilization,” “Spanish Colonial Tyranny,” “Sun and Moon, Space, Science, and Politics,” and “National Autonomous University of Mexico. Paintings by Mexican architect Juan O’Gorman, who is also a muralist. If you look at this mural after knowing the background of the mural painting movement that took place in the 1920s (aimed at conveying the significance of the revolution and the Mexican identity to the people), you will be able to feel the unique Mexican artistry and the new fascination of Mexican modern architecture. A powerful three-dimensional mural entitled “From the People to the University, from the University to the People” is also painted on the wall of the Rector’s Building. (By David Alfaro Siqueiros, one of Mexico’s most famous muralists.)
Within the huge campus, there are still many facilities and spaces of high historical and cultural value, unique architecture, and other places where you can have a rich and valuable experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schools play a very important role and meaning in shaping cities. By looking at schools from the aspect of “architecture,” we were able to learn that the passion of so many people, including educators, architects, and designers, has been concentrated in schools, which are still carving out a new history.
The utilization, revitalization, and symbiosis of closed schools, as I mentioned at the beginning of this report, is also about carefully protecting and inheriting the history and various thoughts that have been built up over the years, while creating ways to further utilize them in the future. In other words, to create something new is to protect the history that already exists.

 

◆Sources
https://www.msu.ru/en/
https://www.unam.mx/
http://whc.unesco.org/es/list/1250
https://bibliotecacentral.unam.mx/index.php/nuestro-mural
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1250/

One of the best things about traveling around the world is not only getting the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful scenery, culture, customs, food, and people, but also the magnificent buildings with high historical value.

Of these, Italy’s buildings are said to be the best in the world both in terms of quantity and historical value

In this article, we will introduce some of Italy’s representative buildings and interview Italian designer Francesco Ristori to discuss architecture and design in Japan and abroad from a global perspective.

■＃1. The Pantheon (Rome, Italy)

Michelangelo, a man of many talents in art and architecture, praised The Pantheon as an “angelic design”. Built in 25 B.C. by Agrippa, trusted by Augustus, the first emperor of the Roman Empire, it was destroyed by fire in 80 B.C., but was rebuilt by the emperors Domitian and Trajan. From 118 to 125, Hadrian transformed the Pantheon into a classical building that pursued space, order, arrangement, and light. It is no coincidence that the height of the dome and the diameter of the rotunda correspond exactly to the diameter of a perfect sphere.

The circular structure of the Pantheon was inspired by the heavens and the sun, and unlike the square-shaped spaces that were the mainstay of Greek and Roman temple architecture until that time, the domes were made smaller as they were raised, and the walls were made progressively thinner to reduce the downward pressure of the weight of the dome and to release the physical stress to the foundation.

The only source of light in the Pantheon is the dome’s “great eye”, a circular window at the top of the dome, and when the sun shines in around noon, the magnificent space made of polished marble and finished with geometric patterns shines beautifully.

The Pantheon, which continues to transmit the image of Rome’s glory to the present day, is truly an architecture with a sense of history.

■ Francesco’s Addition: Knowing this makes” The Pantheon”100 times more interesting!

Italian monuments have myths that are based on truth. In the case of The Pantheon, it remains a myth that glorifies Roman architecture.

One of the things that makes The Pantheon an amazing piece of architecture is that it does not have a keystone on the dome, which would normally be present, to avoid structural overload. As a result, there is a large hole that allows you to see the sky. Many people may think, “Won’t it flood when it rains?”.

In fact, when it rains, the chimney effect causes the rain to be sprayed by the warm wind, and it is said that the inside has never been flooded.

Of course, this is due to the superior design techniques of Roman architecture and the chimney effect, this was due in part to the myth that Roman building technology was so great that it would not flood even when it rained.

■#2. Church of San Miniato al Monte (Florence, Italy)

Construction began in the year 1018. This is the first church in Florence dedicated to Christian martyrs. It is said that when the martyrs were decapitated, they carried their heads under their arms and climbed the hill with wobbly steps to come to this place where they were buried.

The façade is made of Carrara marble with white color, which complements the green serpentine stone and adds to the beauty of the building. The first floor, there is a design reminiscent of a classical temple, a 13th-century mosaic at the top of the edicula (stone or wooden altar) window, depicting Christ on the throne with a saint by his side, and at the top of the façade, a mosaic of a man on the throne, and bronze falcon symbolizing the woolen guild. Inside, the main altar is decorated with mosaics from the 13th century, and between the steps leading to the main altar is the Chapel of the Cross by Michelozzo, added during the Renaissance.

It is one of the best examples of Romanesque architecture in Tuscany and is a valuable historical building that had a great influence on later Renaissance architecture, both inside and out.

■Francesco’s Addition Knowing this, the “Church of San Miniato al Monte” becomes 100 times more interesting!

If you were to ask, “What is the most beautiful bridge in Florence? Most people would probably answer “Ponte Vecchio”. Personally, however, I would say that the adjacent Holy Trinity Bridge is the most beautiful bridge in Florence.

The reason for this is quite simple: from Ponte Vecchio, you can’t see the whole beautiful Ponte Vecchio, but when you stand on the Santa Trinita Bridge, you will see the Ponte Vecchio in all its magnificent beauty. Therefore, the Santa Trinita Bridge is the most beautiful bridge in Florence.

Similarly, the Church of San Miniato al Monte is not considered the most beautiful church in Florence. But from the top of the hill where the facade stands, you can see all the churches in Florence. That’s why we can say that “San Miniato al Monte” is the most beautiful church in Florence!

 

©MARIO RISTORI

■Francesco, a designer, talks about architecture and design in Italy and Japan.

1)Influence from Italy, and conversely, the influence of Japan on other　countries 　

Trade between Italy and Japan began in 1866, but it took several decades before there was any visible impact.　In 1904, “Madame Butterfly” was premiered at La Scala in Milan. The fact that the story is set in Nagasaki is considered evidence of the deep interest Italy and Japan had in each other. It is said that the relationship was strengthened from there and influenced the streets of Nagasaki.On the other hand, in Italy, in the 19th century, the poet Gabriele D’Annunzio admired the charm of Japanese haiku and created an Italian version of it. It can be said that Italy and Japan have strong cultural and historical ties.　

2) About the design scene and production in Italy and Japan

First, I feel that the production process is completely different. In Italy, the skilled craftsman become the architect client while in Japan, the craftsman follows the architect client. This is just my way of thinking, but basically, in Italy, there is a lot of thinking and creating on site, but in Japan, preparation and detailed verification are prioritized.In Italy and Japan, “traditional craftsmanship and manufacturing methods that have been handed down from generation to generation remain strong” can be said to be a commonality in site and production.

3) Design in Italy and Japan

Both Italy and Japan participated in the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26). It is expected that we will aim for a cleaner and greener future.I believe that zero carbon and energy autonomy will be set and introduced as major objectives in architecture as well.In northern Italy, energy-autonomous buildings are already on the rise due to the influence of northern European building technology. On the other hand, it has been suggested that the development of energy-autonomous buildings in Japan may be delayed due to the cost of land and earthquake resistance standards. Nevertheless, I hope that we will make steady progress step by step.

 

■Francesco Ristori

International Design Division, Office Department, Architect, Designer

After achieving a master’s degree in architecture at the University of Florence, he specialized in Italy in housing and retail projects, as well as heritage buildings restoration. Since 2014 he has been involved as designer at GARDE, operating in Japan and Korea, China, and south-east Asia, involved in several project scales, such as corporate offices, hospitality, residential, commercial facilities, and department stores.

■Sources：

https://nigensha.hondana.jp/book/b559274.html

https://xknowledge-books.jp/book/9784767819624/

 

 

 

Otani joined GARDE in 2016, and after working as a PM and local architect, he has been working as a designer since 2021, participating in many projects for apparel, large-scale commercial facilities, and hospitality. In addition to his skills and sense of style, he is also a possesses a deep sense of humanity. We took an in-depth look at the young designer from a variety of perspectives.

■How did you become interested in design and architecture?

The large commercial facilities and mass merchandisers along the national highway, such as toy stores and fishing tackle shops, were at the origin of my consumer behavior and my first perception of commercial space.

I had an interest in design, objects, and shapes from an early age, but my interest in space was secondary to my experiences there. The origins of my own creation began in my childhood, when I spent all my time collecting insects, looking at actual objects and illustrated books, copying them, and making models.From there, my interest shifted to airplanes, tanks, and plastic models, and I developed an interest in industrial objects that led to my current occupation. Ever since then, I have been interested in guitars and furniture design.

I also spent a period in Beijing in the 1990s and often went to department stores with my family and siblings. We would spend half a day in the facilities, from the game center to pottery classes, to dining. We were also a cultured family, so we had all kinds of subcultural materials scattered around the house.

From a very young age, I was exposed to the films of seen Verhoeven, Cronenberg, David Lynch. For manga, I was introduced to Osamu Tezuka, Shigeru Mizuki, Yoshiharu Tsuge, Shotaro Ishinomori and so on. In the midst of all this, my piano teacher gave me the best Beatles album. I fell in love with the subculture of the 60’s and beyond.

I became obsessed with Dylan and Kerouac, and as a result became a bit of an “edgelord”…

 

 

 

 

●His passion for building plastic models as a child eventually led to an interest in product design…

 

 

 

●He was accepted to Musashino Art University.

■What influences your design and what you are actively incorporating into it?

I think that the way items are combined with each other is an ability that is common to the way materials are combined in space.

For clothing, I am quite conscious of dressing in a way that is “appropriate for the occasion, very normal and ordinary”. Personally, I think it has something in common with my attitude towards spatial design. I feel that there is a slight difference in the sense of distance between clothing and interior/architectural design, as they both focus on the human body.

The process of sewing clothes, starting from the selection of materials, and building from the pattern (flat) to the human body (three-dimensional), is very interesting from an architectural point of view. The way you finish it will affect the completion of the project. More than the technical interest, what I am conscious of is the semantic rationality, whether the combination of items is in line with a certain context or not. Starting from who, where, and how the item was made, to why I chose it now, I am conscious of making sure that each combination makes sense. I want to apply this attitude to each aspect of food, clothing, and shelter whenever possible.

■Who are some creators you admire?

I’m glued to the frightening yet fascinating scenes and characters of David Lynch. 

David Lynch’s work may be considered difficult and lofty, but if you take a closer look at his works, you will find that each motif is mundane and trite in a good way. I think he is an interesting person who has succeeded commercially while making films that are personal and self-indulgent.

■To Mr. Otani, who states “I have no preconceived notions about materials, good or bad.” We propose the final question: What are some of your future challenges?

I feel that experienced people are limited in the space they associate with materials. For example, the unit price of a material is set based on various factors such as scarcity, time and effort of production, transportation, etc. However, I believe that it never determines whether the material is good or bad (luxurious or cheap).

This may also be true for other elements that make up a space, such as spacing, where it makes sense to say, “If it’s bigger, it’s no good” or “If it’s smaller, it’s no good.” However, there are many of these virtues that have no basis in fact. I would like to question this while keeping them as a foundation. There must be much that is strangely missing or curiously in excess that we find attractive. I will continue to learn and utilize as much as possible.

■Makoto Otani

Designer, Large-Scale Design Section, Design Business Division

After joining the company in 2016, Makoto Otani worked in the PM Section of the Brand Business Division, where he managed the interior design work for imported brands opening stores in Japan. In 2019, he joined the Design Section of the Brand Business Division, where he worked as a local architect for imported brands ranging from apparel to cosmetics. In 2021, he joined the International Design Division, where he works as a designer on a variety of projects in Japan and abroad, focusing on apparel stores, large-scale commercial facilities, and hospitality design.