A voyage of exploration of the visionary architecture of Sou Fujimoto at Berlin’s Aedes Architecture Forum

The poetic architecture of Sou Fujimoto aspires to achieve a balance between order and disorder, between simplicity and complexity. The search for and definition of a new relationship between man and nature is a key aspect of his work. The Japanese architect’s projects appear "primitive" in their simplicity, founded on the original complex relationship between humans and nature, but are at the same time profoundly connected with the contemporary world. To mark the occasion of the awarding of the prestigious title of AW Architect of the Year 2023 to Sou Fujimoto by the well-known German magazine AW Architektur & Wohnen, Berlin’s Aedes Architecture Forum hosts an exhibition entitled “Primitive Future - Everything Is Circulating", focusing on the visionary Japanese architect’s experimental approach.

Born and raised on the Japanese island of Hokkaido, Sou Fujimoto developed a strong interest in nature in his childhood, a passion difficult to reconcile with his architectural studies in the artificial, urban setting of Tokyo, the country’s most populous metropolis. This contrast led him to rethink the relationship between architecture and nature as an essential component of his work. According to Fujimoto, the architecture of the future will be increasingly connected with nature, as we will view architecture as part of nature, and nature as a part of architecture.
"Primitive Future - Everything Is Circulating" offers an overview of twelve projects by Sou Fujimoto Architects, including both completed projects and plans. In the first room of the exhibition, twelve videos allow visitors to discover the process of the design of projects of different types and forms. In the second room, an evocative installation expresses the idea of an interconnected world, represented by twelve floating objects symbolising people, nature, geography and architecture, in a constant process of metamorphosis. The space is true to the architect’s philosophy that " everything is different, yet connected” and comes together in a synergic harmony.

Sou Fujimoto has worked in a number of countries all over the world. Though most of his projects have been built in Japan and China, he has also completed interesting buildings in Europe, such as the "L'Arbre Blanc" residential tower in Montpellier, France (2019) and the "House of Music" in Budapest (2022). In this recent project, the Japanese architect planned playful interactions and relationships between users and the organically-shaped building with transparencies which blend into the nature of the park in the Hungarian capital, creating an appreciable, immersive spatial experience. "Primitive Future - Everything Is Circulating" offers the public a fascinating voyage of exploration of the architecture of Sou Fujimoto, in exploring and celebrating the connections among nature, architecture and humanity through his unique vision.
The exhibition offers a valuable opportunity to understand the work of one of the most talented, innovative architects alive today and reflect on the fundamental role played by architecture in the creation of spaces in harmony with nature and people.

(Agnese Bifulco)

Images courtesy of Aedes Architecture Forum and Sou Fujimoto

Exhibition:

Sou Fujimoto Architects, Tokyo/Paris
Primitive Future
Everything Is Circulating
In cooperation with AW Architektur & Wohnen

Date: 15 July – 30 August 2023
Venue: Aedes Architecture Forum, Christinenstr. 18–19, 10119 Berlin
Opening hours: Mon 1–5pm, Tue–Fri 11am–6.30pm, Sundays and public holidays 1–5pm, Sat 15 July 2023, 1–5pm Project Photos: Daici Ano (02-03), Iwan Baan (01, 04-06, 09), Sou Fujimoto Architects (07,10-12), Katsumasa Tanaka (08), Urban Zintel (13)
Exhibition Photos: © Erik-Jan Ouwerkerk (14-17), Volker Renner (18-20)

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