About the Exhibition

TOTO GALLERY・MA presents the exhibition of Atelier Zo, “AIMAIMOKO: Atelier Zo A to Z”.

Atelier Zo was founded in 1971 by Reiko Tomita, Hiroyasu Higuchi, and the late Koichi Otake, all alumni of “Atelier U”, led by the prominent post-war Japanese architect and thinker Takamasa Yoshizaka (1917-1980), when Tsutomu Shigemura and Keiko Arimura joined the three. Over the past 56 years Atelier Zo continuously engaged in multifaceted architectural activities across various regions while expanding their groupings and operational bases.

“Nakijin Central Community Center” (1975) and “Nago City Hall” (1981) are two of the Atelier Zo’s early significant works in Okinawa from 1970s to early 80s, securing their place in architectural history as exemplary works that harness natural energy and respond to Okinawa’s unique climate and landscape. The principles of Zo were in the background of realization of these projects; they explored the nature of vernacular architecture by facing Okinawa’s forms and livelihood through immersing themselves in the turmoil of Okinawa in post reversion period.
From this experience in Okinawa, Atelier Zo developed their activities mainly in Japan and across Asia; upholding their concepts, “Discovery Method”, finding the local issues themselves by thoroughly walking on the land of the project site, and “Self-Built Construction”, a philosophy of building up the community by the local people’s own hands.

In the late 1980s, they were invited to Taiwan, then under martial law, just on the verge of democratization, and established an office in Yilan County, northeast of Taiwan. “Yilan County Hall/Institute of County History/Yilan County Council (1977/2001)” merged the buildings and the landscape, realizing the government building complex accessible and opened to the citizens rather than serving as a symbol of authority. Zo continuously involves in the project for over 30 years.
In 1990s, Zo relocated the firm from Tokyo in the post bubble economy to Tokachi region of Hokkaido. Having their base in a closed school building, they proposed architecture and landscape to co-exist with harsh cold climate and overwhelming nature. During summer and winter workshops, many young people who agree on Zo’s lifestyle gathered to work on “Self-Built Construction.”
As they re-opened the Tokyo office in 1994, Zo continuously worked on many public buildings, educational/daycare facilities, and residences, in align with their early works in 1980s in Miyashiro Town, Saitama Prefecture: “Shinshukan” (1980), and “Kasahara Elementary School” (1982), known as “Barefoot School”, one of the forerunners of the education facilities that harmonized with the nature.
“AIMAIMOKO” is one of the “7 Principles”, Zo’s basic concept. They are “Expression of Place”, “What is a House, What is a School, What is a Road?”, “Diversity”, “Sensory World”, “Enhancing and Enjoying Nature”, “Aimaimoko”, and “Exertive Building”. Atelier Zo’s architecture which is brought up by walking on the land, facing contradictions, discover and discuss in the turmoil, will be uncovered through their steps in Okinawa, Tokachi, Taiwan, and Miyshiro using 26 words that start from A to Z.
How should we face the dynamic society and how should we live and make our places. Zo has engaged earnestly with these questions from the time of its establishment. By following their steps, we hope to find the nature of architecture as it stands now.