A Floating Object: Toyo Ito

Jonathan Jabbour
Aug 28, 2017 · 3 min read

“The work of Toyo Ito can be considered one of the most significant interpretations of the complexity of the Japanese world” (Toyo Ito works, projects, and writings, 2002). Toyo Ito “developed the idea of an ephemeral architecture” and most of his works expressed transparency and ephemerality. “Transparency” and “Blurring” was used by Toyo Ito to explain his architectural ideas. Toyo Ito’s Sendai Mediatheque (2001) was one of my largest influences to choose this architect. In Figure 1, it is clear to see that the Mediatheque consists of many planes and spiral columns/pillars.

Figure 1: Model of Sendai Mediatheque by Toyo Ito (1995).

In his model, Toyo Ito “wanted to create a floating architecture that would follow the traces of the flow of water or air.” Furthermore, Toyo Ito created his models based on this principle: Making Visible the Invisible. Toyo Ito would take something that is invisible, like air (“life”), and turn it into a beautiful building. In his model of Mediatheque, Toyo Ito created a floating architecture by including elements that could resemble life such as: placing thirteen circular pillars randomly which look like waving seaweeds. Also, Ito creates gaps between the floors which are not identical, creating rhythm in the building. To relate to Toyo Ito’s designs, I created 5 iterations that plot all my ideas. In Figure 2, I created a draft of a random building showing the relation of the column to Toyo Ito’s models.

Figure 2: Iteration 1 by Jonathan Jabbour (2017).

Then, I created a draft showing how the column can change in shape and size (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Iteration 2 by Jonathan Jabbour (2017).

I went further and played with the positions of the floors (Figure 4) to represent rhythm in the building.

Figure 4: Iteration 3 by Jonathan Jabbour (2017).

Furthermore, i created a draft to see how the model will change if i actually changed the shape of the column and floors ( Figure 5).

Figure 5: Iteration 4 by Jonathan Jabbour (2017).

However, I noticed that I didn’t have to relate a model to Ito’s by designing a building, I wondered how I could represent Ito’s models into a structure or sculpture: I created a draft of an arc sculpture (Figure 6).

Figure 6: Iteration 5 by Jonathan Jabbour (2017).

Using Toyo Ito’s design of Sendai Mediatheque as an inspiration, I finally decided to create an arch made from matchsticks that create rhythm, spirals, and transparency. I created similar columns to Ito’s that show a spiral and wavy feel to the arc, which is shown by the wavy background in Figure 7. Also I created a reflective base to make the arch reflect on the base (Figure 8). While creating the arch, I examined how Toyo Ito uses light and nature in his models, so I added trees in my model (Figure 8) as well as lights in the columns which make the arch vanish and to create the feature of a floating object.

Figure 7: Final project without trees showing wavy background from the arch. Photo and model by Jabbour (2017).
Figure 8: Final project with trees flowing with the arch and supporting the transparency of the arch.
Figure 9: Final project showing the reflection of the arch and trees from the reflective base.

Reference:

  • Works, Projects, And Writings: Toyo Ito: Electaarchitecture
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