It was one of the things that first inspired me to dream of becoming an architect: I want to make something like this myself one day, I thought.”
Inside, daylight poured in through the openings set in the high ceiling and glinted on the surface of the pool. “As a child, I was astonished by the power of the building’s remarkable exterior. After the Games were over, his architecture-loving father often took him swimming at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium 1, the same venue where Schollander had recently performed his heroics.Ī symbolic arch inspired by and inherited from a past master The last time the Olympics were held in Tokyo, architect Kengo Kuma was a fourth-grader watching on TV, captivated by the performances of the 18-year-old swimmer Don Schollander, winner of four gold medals in the swimming events. I, as an architect who backs those people involved, hope to build what cannot be done at any other place.” Photo: Junichi Kaizuka “Architecture is a platform where a variety of people can gather.
KENGO KUMA & ASSOCIATES, Kuma’s office located at Minamiaoyama in Tokyo, commands a view of the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium, the Meiji Jingu Stadium and the Japan National Stadium. “Through architecture, I want to suggest answers to the various problems the world faces.” Kengo Kuma Professor, Graduate School of Engineering