Fake Designs of Japanese Architecture

The third volume in the Bau Kunst series, ‘Fake Designs of Japanese Architecture’ turns the research focus inward to Japan and investigates pre-modern wooden architecture. The study questions the apparent harmony of structure and space in medieval Japanese buildings, suggesting that it may in fact be a carefully constructed illusion – a layered relationship between structure and appearance. The book begins with a reprint of writings on Japanese architecture from international sources, followed by an exploration of medieval temples researched for this project, and concludes with essays – including a roundtable discussion with architectural historian Wataru Mitsui.