Tabula Scripta Tokyo

“Tabula Scripta Tokyo” is an exhibition designed by HOH Architects, at the invitation of JNACA (Japan Netherlands Architecture Culture Association) and the Shibaura House in Tokyo. The exhibition comprises of a 1:1 intervention on the façade of the Shibaura House, and a retrospective exhibition on the work of HOH on the ground floor.

The Japanese architectural industry has a strong focus on new constructions – an industry which has garnered much international recognition. No other country has as many Pritzker Prize winners. However, this focus has also led to the demolition of many building, such as the recently demolished Nakagin Capsule Tower. Additionally, new construction in Japan is raising an increasing amount of concern due to the rapidly declining population, as well as significant negative ecological impact of the construction industry.

The Dutch construction industry builds more on the past, but is becoming increasingly conservative. Change and innovation are becoming difficult to achieve. The glory days of the Superdutch generation, a collective term for leading Dutch architectural firms between the 1990s and the financial crisis of 2008, are gone.

HOH Architects reflect on this issue by presenting their work and design ethos, paying attention to both Japanese and Dutch (construction) culture. The exhibition also builds upon the research project ‘Tabula Scripta’, conducted by partner Jarrik Ouburg together with Floris Alkemade and Michiel van Iersel at the Academy of Architecture in Amsterdam, and the publication ‘Re-writing Architecture – 10+1 Actions’, which emerged from this research.

The exhibition emphasizes the importance of understanding the complexity of a given spatial situation: viewing existing buildings as sources of inspiration for further development and innovation, rather than obstacles to be demolished.

On the ground floor, two projects are shown in dialogue: the transformation of two identical canal houses for the University of Amsterdam and the Ise Shrine in Japan. Both projects illustrate different approaches to time, craftsmanship, heritage, and impermanence. While the Ise Shrine is dismantled and rebuilt every 20 years on an identical plot next to it, the transformation of the canal houses shows a more gradual evolution over the centuries.

Additionally, other projects by HOH are presented that (literally and figuratively) illustrate the layered nature of a place or building, highlighting their historical, spatial, or social dimensions.

A highlight of the exhibition is the 1:1 installation covering one of the large loggias of the façade of the Shibaura House, designed by Kazuo Sejima. The installation will be displaying a photo of the former printing press building that stood on the same site. This architectonical re-enactment is an hommage to the constant renewal of the city and at the same time questions the ecological impact of the fast paced demolition-construction tradition in the city of Tokyo.