Exhibition “Tadao Ando Youth” in Osaka

DATE

05.09.2025

Curated in collaboration with Ando himself, it offers a broad and in-depth journey through the career of the Osaka-born architect (1941), from his self-taught beginnings to his most recent works. Through more than 230 drawings, models, plans, and videos, a selection of about 60 projects is presented, reflecting not only his professional evolution but also his profoundly spiritual and formalist vision, always aimed at preserving the spirit of youth and the tension between the built and the natural.

One of the most striking moments is the nearly life-size recreation of the famous Church on the Water (Ishimi Church) in Hokkaido. In a set that includes a cross rising from a reflective pond and panoramic projections of the original landscape, visitors can sensorially experience the contemplative and poetic atmosphere that defines this work. The sound of birds and the immersive environment reinforce the sense of presence and silence, elements highly valued by Ando in his architectural discourse.

Another highlight is the immersive audiovisual installation inside a 15-meter-high cube, which allows visitors to virtually explore the spatial experience of emblematic works such as the Church of the Light, Hill of the Buddha, and the Bourse de Commerce in Paris. These projections emphasize the natural use of light and concrete that characterize the architect’s poetics, serving as a vehicle to convey his thought: architecture as a bridge between man, memory, and the environment.

In the section dedicated to his most recent period, titled “Tadao Ando Now,” emblematic projects such as the consolidation of Naoshima —a set of museums and facilities on the island— are showcased, along with newer initiatives like the Children’s Book Forest, several floating children’s libraries that connect architecture and social action. A giant green apple at the entrance of the exhibition symbolizes that unbreakable youthful spirit, derived from the poem “Youth” by Samuel Ullman, which Ando cites as a philosophy of life and work. The exhibition will remain open until January 13, 2026.

MARCH VALENCIA | ARQUITECTURA Y DISEÑO

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