Japan - Archipelago of the House

For over 150 years, the Japanese house has been an object of fascination and source of architectural ideals for foreign observers. The house remains the most recognisable and enduring of Japan’s contributions to the discipline of architecture, while simultaneously the site of intense experimentation and creative diversity.

Using photographs, drawings, texts, and video, this exhibition surveys 70 works of 58 architects from 1933 to 2013. Rather than presenting the houses as purified vessels of architectural ideals, the presentation aims to situate the works in their urban, social, and historical context, deepening their understanding and appreciation for a contemporary international audience.

The exhibition content is grouped into three sections, as follows:

1. Yesterdays Houses

A selection of 14 significant milestones in the architecture of the Japanese house in the twentieth century. Each work is accompanied by a brief description of its historical and theoretical significance, in addition to sketches, architectural drawings and key photographic representations.

2. Today's Houses

A selection of 20 contemporary houses created by architects active today. Architectural drawings and original photography are accompanied by essential data and brief interviews with the architect and the inhabitants, highlighting the underlying aspirations, conceptual intentions, and lived experience of the houses. A sequence of short videos of the houses shows their context and occupation, accompanied by ambient sounds.

3. Tokyo Houses

36 photographic "portraits" of contemporary houses in Tokyo, by the photographer Jérémie Souteyrat, depicting the houses in their urban and social context.

The exhibition was initially conceived and produced by a team of French curators: Veronique Hours, Fabien Mauduit, Jérémie Souteyrat, Manuel Tardits. The Francophone version was exhibited in Tokyo and several European cities from 2014-2017.

The Australian manifestation of the exhibition was produced, curated and coordinated by Julian Worrall, appearing first in Adelaide in 2018, then Launceston in 2019. In addition, The Launceston iteration also included an artefact entitled Tansu Hausu, a creative work of design research inspired by the Tokyo Dojunkai modernist housing blocks, created by M.Arch students under the supervision of Julian Worrall and Michael Hornblow.