Kisho Kurokawa
Kisho Kurokawa (黒川 紀章, Kurokawa Kishō, April 8, 1934 – October 12, 2007) was a pioneering Japanese architect, theorist, and one of the founders of the Metabolist Movement, a radical avant-garde architectural movement that emerged in the 1960s. Born in Kanie, Aichi Prefecture, Kurokawa grew up in Nagoya, where he witnessed the destruction of his hometown during World War II air raids, an experience that profoundly shaped his architectural philosophy. The son of architect Miki Kurokawa, he was immersed in the world of design from an early age, further influenced by his childhood exposure to Buddhist teachings and traditional Japanese aesthetics.
Kurokawa’s academic journey began at Kyoto University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture in 1957. He pursued graduate studies at the University of Tokyo under the mentorship of Kenzō Tange, a leading modernist architect, receiving a master’s degree in 1959. Although he enrolled in a doctoral program, he left in 1964 to focus on his practice. In 1960, at the age of 26, Kurokawa co-founded the Metabolist Movement with colleagues, including architects Kiyonori Kikutake and Fumihiko Maki, and critic Noboru Kawazoe. The movement, inspired by biological metaphors, advocated for adaptable, modular, and sustainable architecture that could evolve with society’s needs, blending Asian philosophical contexts with modern technology.
In 1962, Kurokawa established Kisho Kurokawa Architect & Associates, a firm headquartered in Tokyo with branches in Osaka, Nagoya, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Astana, and Los Angeles. His early work epitomized the Metabolist ethos, most notably in the Nakagin Capsule Tower (1970–1972) in Tokyo, a landmark project featuring detachable, prefabricated capsules attached to a central core. This design embodied his vision of architecture as a living organism capable of growth and change. Other significant projects from this period include the Sony Tower (1972–1976) in Osaka and the pavilions at Expo ’70 in Osaka, which brought international acclaim to the Metabolist Movement.
By the 1980s, Kurokawa shifted toward a philosophy of “symbiosis,” seeking to integrate traditional Japanese aesthetics with global influences, emphasizing sustainability and cultural harmony. Projects like the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art (1988–1989), with its symbolic void representing the atomic bomb’s impact, and the Nara City Museum of Photography (1989–1991), which echoed local temple architecture, showcased his ability to blend modern and traditional elements. His international commissions expanded, including the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (1992–1998), praised for its environmental integration, and the Van Gogh Museum addition in Amsterdam (1990–1998).
Kurokawa was a prolific writer, authoring influential books such as Metabolism in Architecture (1977), Intercultural Architecture: The Philosophy of Symbiosis (1991), and From the Age of the Machine to the Age of Life (1998). His philosophy emphasized concepts like metabolism, ecology, impermanence, and detailed craftsmanship, challenging Western architectural hierarchies by prioritizing the autonomy of parts. In his later years, he became a vocal advocate for environmental sustainability, founding the Green Party in Japan and establishing the Anaheim University Kisho Kurokawa Green Institute in 2007.
A multifaceted intellectual, Kurokawa was also an educator, translator of architectural texts, and political candidate, running unsuccessfully for Tokyo governor and a seat in the Japanese House of Councillors in 2007. He was married twice, first to a college classmate with whom he had two children—a daughter, potter Kako Matsuura, and a son, photographer Mikio—and later to actress Ayako Wakao. Kurokawa passed away on October 12, 2007, in Tokyo due to heart failure, leaving a legacy of innovative designs and a philosophical framework that continues to influence global architecture.
