Norihito Nakatani
Architectural Historian, Archiologist, founder of “acetate”, mAAN core member, Nakatani Laboratory, Department of Architecture, Waseda University
55th Bldg. N Tower 8F-9, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, 169-8555, Tokyo,
JAPAN
rhenin@waseda.jp
http://www.nakatani-seminar.org
Professor, Department of Architecture, Waseda University
An architectural historian noted for a variety of unique activities. These include studying the writings of early-modern-era carpentry, and the continuity of land characteristics and their influence on the present day (theory of pre-existence); overseeing a project to document change by revisiting the houses that the Japanese “modernologist” Kon Wajiro visited in the early 20th century(A Survey Revisiting the Anonymous Houses from Wajiro Kon’s Nihon no Minka); and more recently, travelling along the edge of Eurasia plate, researching villages that have existed for a thousand years (http://mille-vill.org).
He has also established acetate, an editing/publishing organization devoted to putting out books by rare and ubiquitous people.
His own books include Future Commune (inscript, 2019), Moving earth and Shape of Living: Travelling along the edge of Eurasia plate (Iwanami shoten, 2017), Revisiting Kon Wajiro’s “Japanese Houses” (as part of the Rekiseikai group, Heibonsha, 2012), Severalness+: The Cycle of Things and Human Beings (Kajima Shuppankai, 2011), and The Study of Classical Literature, the Meiji Period, and Architects (Ikki Shuppan, 1993). In 2013, Nakatani received the Kon Wajiro Award by the Japan Society of Lifology and the Writer’s Award by the Architectural Institute of Japan.
Educational Background
4/1/1983-3/31/1987 Waseda University, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, B.S. in Eng.
4/1/1987-3/31/1989 Waseda University, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, M.S. in Architectural History
4/1/1992-3/31/1995 Waseda University, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering.
Ph.D in Architectural History, 1998
Dissertation title: “Study on the development of KIKU-JUTSU, Geometry in Japanese Traditional Architectuire, applied to Western Architecture.”
Employment Record
4/1/1989-3/31/1992 Architect, Shimiz Corporation.
4/1/1994-3/31/1997 Research Associate, Waseda University.
4/1/1998-3/31/1999 Guest Lecturer, Advanced Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University.
4/1/1999-3/31/2005 Lecturer, Osaka City University.
4/1/2005-3/31/2006 Associate Professor, Osaka City University.
Current Employer and Position
4/1/2006-3/31/2012 Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Waseda University
from 4/1/2012 Professor, Department of Architecture, Waseda
1/1/2010-12/31/2011 Chief editor of “Journal of Architecture in Building & Science”, Architectural Institute of Japan (was founded in 1887),
http://jabs.aij.or.jp/
Field of Specialization
Japanese Archiectural History,
Reserch on temporal aspects of architectural expression
Revitalization for traditional architecture
Publications
2019 “Future Commune” (inscript, 2019)
2018 “Shape of Time Remarks On the History of Things” (Japanese Translation), Kajima Publishing
2017 “Moving earth and Shape of Living: Travelling along the edge of Eurasia plate”, Iwanami shoten
2012 “Revisiting Kon Wajiro’s Nihon no Minka” (Joint authorship), Heibonsha
2011 “Severalness plus: The cycle of city, architecture and human”. The updated version as following.
2005 “Severalness: The cycle of human and things,” Kashima publishing company
2005 “Toshi no Saisei wo Kangaeru (Study on conversion of cities),” joint authorship, Iwanami publishing company
2004 “Pre Modern Architectural Theory,” acetate
1999 A History of Japanese Architecture in Style, joint authorship,Bijutsu-Shuppann-Sha
1998 Study on the development of KIKU-JUTSU, Geometry in Japanese, Traditional Architectuire, applied to Western Architecture.” (Doctoral Essay), Waseda University.
1997 Arcnitectural Guide Map of Kyoto, joint authorship, TOTO publishing company
1996 Games with Isozaki Arata, joint authorship, TOTO publishing company
1995 SUKIYA NO MORI (Sukiya Forest), joint authorship, Maruzen publishing company
1994 On the Kokei Kobayashi Modern Sukiya House Designed by Yoshida Isohachi in early period, joint authorship,Daiichi Jutaku Kensetsu Kyoukai
1993 KOKUGAKU, MEIJI, KENTIKUKA – A Study on Structural Characteristics of Modern “JAPANESE” Architecture in Nationalism, Ranteisha publishing company
1993 KENCHIKU KYOJIN, ITO CHUTA (The Great Architect, Chuta Ito) , joint authorship, YOMIURI newspaper publishing company
Position Held
1st qualified architect , in Japan
Award
2019 Architectural Institute of Japan’s Annual Architectural Design Commendation
2020, 2018, 2013 Best Book Award, Architectural Institute of Japan
2013 Kon Wajiro Award, Institute of Lifeology of japan
2000 Encouragement Prize of Architectural Institute of Japan 2000
1993 1st prize for “Yumehon”, the best graduation thesis for publication, sponsored by FUJITSU corporation.
1993 2nd prize for “Kenchiku-Bunka” Prize Contest for Architectural Treatise, sponsored by SHOKOKU-SHA
Other Activities
2013 Curation, Venezia Biennale, Japanese Pavillion, “In the real world” with Kayoko Ota, Hiroo Yamagata
2016 Curation, The Exhibition of DIS-CONTINUOUS UNITY, Architecture of YOSIZAKA Takamasa + Atelier U at National Archives of Modern Architecture
Nakatani Norihito's Blography 