Kengo Kuma

Kengo Kuma was born in 1954. He completed his master’s degree at the University of Tokyo in 1979. After studying at Columbia University as Visiting Scholar, he established Kengo Kuma & Associates 1990. In 2009, he was installed as Professor at the Graduate School of Architecture, University of Tokyo.

Among Kuma’s major works are Kirosan Observatory (1995), Water/Glass (1995, received AIA Benedictus Award), Stage in Forest, Toyoma Center for Performance Arts (received 1997 Architectural Institute of Japan Annual Award), Bato-machi Hiroshige Museum (received The Murano Prize). Recent works include Nezu Museum (2009, Tokyo), Yusuhara Marche and Wooden Bridge Museum (2010), Asakusa Culture and Tourism Center (2012), Nagaoka City Hall Aore. (2012), and Kabukiza (2013). Outside Japan, Besancon Music Center, FRAC Marseilles Aix-en-Provence Conservatoire, and China Academy of Arts’ Folk Art Museum have been completed recently, with lots of major projects being underway, including V&A at Dundee, UK.

Kuma is also a prolific writer and his books have been translated into English, Chinese and Korean, obtaining wide readership from around the world. The latest titles are Natural Architecture and Small Architecture, published from Architectural Associations.