CONTEMPORARY 1980-PRESENT
SENDAI MEDIATHEQUE Toyo Ito & Associates 1995-2001 Sendai City, Japan by Michelle Martinez
The influential factors affecting the design development of Sendai Mediatheque by Toyo Ito Associates are analyzed. For example, this paper seeks to explore on the CIAM ideas that have influenced and shaped the urban planning of Japan, in order to demonstrate how planning affects and comes before the architectural project conception. A site analysis is executed to understand how its location, history and climate such as seismic activities impact the preliminary design and how Toyo Ito responds to such complex conditions. The material choices and structure are discussed to see its contribution to the building’s idea of transparency and how it conforms to the planning and zoning requirements. The essay explores on how the architectural project design is appropriate in the intricate urban environment by examining the design principles and development of the building from an architectural idea to its execution. Furthermore, the social, physical, cultural and political contexts are shown to demonstrate its influence on Sendai Mediatheque’s preliminary design. This paper also aims to analyze the processes of administration, politics and planning. Results of this investigation are presented in the form of analytical drawings to support and show the contribution of the different factors to an appropriate building design.
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