Master of concrete structures, winner of prestigious awards, including the Alvar Aalto Medal and the Pritzker Prize,

and author of numerous projects that have become examples of quality modern architecture

Chichu Art Museum
in Naoshima

2004

Master of concrete structures, winner of prestigious awards, including the Alvar Aalto Medal and the Pritzker Prize, and author of numerous projects that have become examples of quality modern architecture

At that time it was expensive, and the boy saved his money for several weeks. Finally he bought the book and turned the pages so many times that they were almost worn out. At the beginning of his work, he kept asking himself — how would Le Corbusier do it? Later he even named his favorite dog after the great architect.

At the age of 18, Tadao Ando began visiting temples, churches and tea houses in Kyoto and Nara, learning firsthand the principles of traditional Japanese architecture. In the '60s he began traveling to Europe and America to see Western architecture. He continuously recorded his impressions of what he saw.

Ando was strongly influenced by the architecture of France. He was particularly impressed by Corbusier's Housing Unit in Marseille and the Notre Dame du Eau Temple. The minimalism and dynamism of concrete buildings and the skilful play of light fascinated him and became the basis of his own style. That's how he became the master of concrete. That's how he became the master of concrete.

family family

1941, Osaka

After returning to Japan, Tadao Ando took an exam, obtained an architect's license and opened his own studio in 1969. At that time he was 28 years old, and no one wanted to hire a self-taught architect with no experience. But Ando was used to overcoming difficulties and continued to pursue his goals.

At first, he designed small wooden houses, furniture and interiors. His first serious client was a young family with a child who wanted to remodel their old house. But when Ando finished the work, the couple had twins, so the small house was no longer suitable for the family. At the time, Tadao Ando's firm didn't have its own office, so he decided to buy the clients' house and use it for work. Ando subsequently renovated it many times until he demolished the building and built the current office. At first Ando worked on private commissions.

His style did not suit everyone, but now, looking at his old projects, you can unmistakably recognize the architect's handwriting in them. His clients valued his vision of space, and many have lived in the houses he designed for decades. Ando says that a girl who grew up in one of his first houses in Kobe asked him 30 years later to make one just like it, only in Tokyo.

Tomishima House
1971

“

— One of Ando's clients

1969, beginning of career

At first, he designed small wooden houses, furniture and interiors. His first serious client was a young family with a child who wanted to remodel their old house. But when Ando finished the work, the couple had twins, so the small house was no longer suitable for the family. At the time, Tadao Ando's firm didn't have its own office, so he decided to buy the clients' house and use it for work. Ando subsequently renovated it many times until he demolished the building and built the current office. At first Ando worked on private commissions.

After returning to Japan, Tadao Ando took an exam, obtained an architect's license and opened his own studio in 1969. At that time he was 28 years old, and no one wanted to hire a self-taught architect with no experience. But Ando was used to overcoming difficulties and continued to pursue his goals.

Simple geometric shapes. Using regular geometric shapes (circle, square, rectangle, etc.) and a limited set of materials, his style is immediately recognizable. With its economy and simplicity, Ando is part of a certain Japanese tradition, but also draws inspiration from the Western styles of Le Corbusier, Bauhaus and the American architect Louis Kahn.

Smooth Concrete. Ando has a predilection for concrete, the appearance of which changes over time and catches the light. With his attention to detail, he has taken his quest for perfection to the extreme by developing his specific formula . Although the concrete remains untreated, it is smooth and delicate, reminiscent of brushed or stained concrete.

Integration of natural elements. Ando uses natural elements as independent architectural elements. In his Church of Light, built in 1989 in Ibaraki, where the sun enters the building through a cross-shaped opening, it is the light that materializes the sacred quality of the place. A wonderful example of the harmony of the natural element and concrete architecture.
Architecture as a refuge. Tadao Ando's buildings are designed as shelters of tranquility behind closed doors from the urban chaos. The built environment is a refuge architecture, isolating itself from the urban public space . This is why many of his dwellings are organized around an inner courtyard, allowing light to enter and creating a protective cocoon.

Benesse House
«The Oval»

1995

About Tadao's style

Chichu Art Museum
in Naoshima

2004

Tadao Ando began working on the small island of Naoshima in Japan’s Inland Sea in 1990 when he completed the Benesse House Museum and Hotel. Since then, he has built repeatedly on the island for the same client.

Located on a hillside just opposite Benesse House, the Chichu Museum, which opened to the public in July 2004, was created for a small group of art works by James Turrell, Walter De Maria and Claude Monet.

One of Tadao Ando's first projects was the Adzuma private house in the Sumiyoshi neighborhood. In those years, most houses were wooden, but Ando built a minimalist concrete building with a box-like facade. From the outside, the house was protective of its residents: it had no windows facing the street.

But inside the architect confronted the occupants with the outside environment: right in the middle of the house he placed an open inner courtyard. If it rained, the owners used an umbrella to get from the living room to the bathroom. In 1979 the house received an award from the Architectural Institute of Japan, and Ando became a national celebrity.

House of Azuma

1976

About the projects

One of Tadao Ando's first projects was the Adzuma private house in the Sumiyoshi neighborhood. In those years, most houses were wooden, but Ando built a minimalist concrete building with a box-like facade. From the outside, the house was protective of its residents: it had no windows facing the street.

But inside the architect confronted the occupants with the outside environment: right in the middle of the house he placed an open inner courtyard. If it rained, the owners used an umbrella to get from the living room to the bathroom. In 1979 the house received an award from the Architectural Institute of Japan, and Ando became a national celebrity.

House Koshino Asia

1980–1984

Another famous project by Tadao Ando was the house for Hiroko Koshino. The architect designed it as an extension of the mountainside, placing some parts of the building underground. In this way, he preserved the natural slope of the site and made the house an extension of nature.

The house consists of two parallel buildings connected by an underground passage. All the walls are made of the architect's favorite material — concrete. Large glass windows let in light and offer a picturesque view of the garden and the hills.

“

— The owner of this house

The Church on the Water was built on the island of Hokkaido in 1988. At the core of the composition are two square volumes connected to each other. The upper one is a transparent cube with four closed crosses inside. The lower one is the premise of the church, the east wall of which is made entirely of glass.

The church has no familiar altar. In its place is an eloquent symbol that reminds us that the Creator is nature itself. The huge cross is located directly on the water surface of the pool.

The construction gets its name from the fact that the water, in the opinion of the author, becomes an organic part of the temple's architecture. The cross and water — the main symbols of the Christian religion — are united in the artistic image of this temple.

At the same time, Ando never denied the Japanese architectural tradition. The theme of connecting a place of worship with water was used quite often in Japan. One may recall the famous Shinto shrine of Itsukushima (16th century), located in the bay of the Inner Sea of Japan.

Church on the Water

1988

The architecture of the iconic structure influences the emotions and feelings of the visitors. In this work we can also see Ando's love for contrasts: artificial and natural, closed and open, emptiness and infinity.

The contrast of the crude raw concrete with the fragile glass only enhances the emotional expressiveness of the temple. Like Ando's other works, the temple Church on the Water is devoid of any ornamentation whatsoever.

The architect does not recognize decorations at all, considering them unnecessary adornment. The Church on the Water is mainly made of concrete. Rare glass surfaces are used by the author as a means of more vivid artistic expression.

Tadao Ando was able to carry out the church project thanks to donations from parishioners. At first, the architect assumed that there would not be enough money to build a roof.

So in the first phase he conceived of building an open-air chapel, with the walls framing the sky, and the roof could be added four or five years later, depending on further funding. The staggered construction could have been a very entertaining process. In fact, the building was completed thanks to the enthusiasm of the parishioners. The box building is penetrated on the side at an angle of 15 degrees by a self-supporting wall; it divides the space of the church into two parts: the main room and the narthex.

A cross-shaped slit made in the opposite end wall of the church captures the light of the morning sun, forming a light cross.
The theme of the project was light, and the architect needed to create a dark heart in which the rays of light would look most effective. Nature is used in this case in the most abstract way. It is confined to the light, which seems to clear the architectural space.

Church of Light 1989

Church of Light

1989

Tadao Ando was able to carry out the church project thanks to donations from parishioners. At first, the architect assumed that there would not be enough money to build a roof.

1989

Church of Light

So in the first phase he conceived of building an open-air chapel, with the walls framing the sky, and the roof could be added four or five years later, depending on further funding. The staggered construction could have been a very entertaining process. In fact, the building was completed thanks to the enthusiasm of the parishioners. The box building is penetrated on the side at an angle of 15 degrees by a self-supporting wall; it divides the space of the church into two parts: the main room and the narthex.

It seems like anyone can do my job. But they can't no one can replicate my architecture

“

— Tadao Ando