The late Kisho Kurokawa has been called "one of the boy-wonders" of modern Japanese architecture. In 1960 he gained international fame with the architectural theory of Metabolism, which he developed while working with Kenzo Tange. He has since been responsible for some fifty outstanding buildings, and written many books. He has also featured regularly on Japanese television.
He describes the characteristics of Japanese culture: acceptance of impermanence and the need for change; integration of different cultures and ideas into a symbiotic relationship; provision of intermediary space between opposing elements. His greatest concern is how to apply these aspects to modern architecture, and he believes that Japanese culture offers keys to the problem.
His work has always included the elements of growth and change. At the end of his talk, Kisho Kurokawa makes a short statement in his native Japanese.
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