Japanese architecture has always aroused interest and encouraged observation and study by the Western world. Light room dividers made of wood, translucent sliding panels, the tendency to create something in between and the special relationship of the Japanese people with the quality of light, are elements that have been, and continue to be, a source of inspiration for many architectural projects worldwide. However, the last twenty years new features appear in Japanese design, which was directly influenced by rapid technological development. These are gestures that are strongly felt mainly during the process of conceptualizing the ideas that are to be developed but also during the creation of representational images related to them, leaving resounding messages for the redefinition of the architecture of the future. Their need to communicate the work as directly as possible with the related subject, but also to stimulate his imagination for the space he is going to inhabit, results in the creation of magical images that overflow with sincerity.
The purpose of the research is the collection of such designs and the observation and study of the elements that make them unique and managed to characterize the generation of younger Japanese architects. In this study, the architects that will be discussed base their work on a refreshing visual description of their projects, without hesitating to include to many of them with their subjective look.
The research method involves firstly observing the designs produced by the younger Japanese architects and through their observation, a list of characteristics is created. These new features are then further analyzed based on specific examples. Through the resulting conclusions, a comparison is made regarding which of these characteristics are found on the European continent and how they are applied. Concluding the research, a personal look and critique of the design characteristics of Japanese architects is presented, which is expressed through working models and digital collages.
