Good Weekend

The Sydney Morning Herald

31 August 2019

by Benjamin Law

 

The Tokyo-born architect, 47, is responsible for some of Sydney’s most recognisable new buildings, including Infinity at Green Square and, in the CBD, Arc – known for its arched facade made from 300,000 bricks.

Religion

Did you grow up with any religion?
In Japan, we have Shinto – worshipping nature, if you like. It’s why we have shrines in the landscape, why we climb mountains and visit shrines on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. We also worship Japanese gods through matsuri [festivals]. It becomes part of your lifestyle.

What’s the relationship between Shinto and your approach to design?
In Japan, nature always involves such close encounters. There are beautiful ones, like the autumn season and hanami [enjoying the transient beauty of flowers], with cherry blossom trees; everybody coming together under a beautiful natural spectacle. But there’s also the danger of earthquakes and tsunamis.

For the compleated article, please visit SMH.