Discussion Board

Japanese Architecture

First, read “Place, Time and Being in Japanese Architecture” (PDF, 13.1 MB) and watch this video on the Himeji-jo Castle. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/661/video

Next, address the questions below.

Traditional Japanese culture is built on a deep respect and reverence for nature, and this appreciation of nature is at the heart of Japanese architectural forms. How the Japanese conceptualize nature and the natural world underlies their spiritual practices and even how they live their daily lives.

With this in mind, discuss how both spiritual and aesthetic aspects of nature and the natural world are incorporated into Japanese architectural design, as seen not only in the traditional buildings of the past but also in contemporary structures.