Theme:Lighting Design Awards Interviewer:　Li Jinmu Jinmu：Mende San, today let us discuss about design awards. When I was in the college, I actively joined many student design competitions. During my final year in the University, I particularly got a chance to participate an urban design competition. Mende：Why were you interested in taking part in design competitions? Jinmu：As you may know I majored in landscape architecture. Through this competition, I was able to team up with other architecture and urban design students. That was something I had never experienced before. I would like to know other people’s thoughts throughout the entire process. Mende： Really? So, the purpose for you to join the competition is to know something? You didn’t intend to get any prize? Usually, people would like to win. Jinmu：I didn’t expect too much at that time. My school invited several top universities in the world to participate, such as University of Tokyo, University of Pennsylvania, thus I learned to take a better yearning attitude. Adding to the difficulty, Kazuyo Sejima from SANNA was in the Jury. She came to Singapore, and our group had to present to her and other judges. It was a very interesting experience for us, and surprisingly, we got the third prize at the end. Mende： I see. One of the function of the design award program is to encourage young people to challenge themselves. Jinmu：Perhaps this is also to get the motivation for my design…

Interviewer:笹本 明美 Sasamoto：I`d like to talk about something that I currently get into and why. Mende：I have several hobbies, but what I am into now is cooking.   Since the pandemic began last year, my wife and I have spent many long hours at home together.  I realized that I don’t want to just eat good food and compliment the chef, but I thought I should also learn to make something good to eat, myself.   Sasamoto：That is really great!  Are there days when you make dinner? Mende： No, I am not allowed just yet. Sometimes I make one dish for the meal, but my wife thinks I am too dangerous.  For the last 40 years, I have been on dishwashing duty.  Sometimes she lets me help with tasks like grating radishes or things that can’t be easily ruined. However, lately, she has been teaching me about seasoning.  She probably has realized that I am healthy and may outlive her.  So if the time comes, when I have to provide care if she ever gets sick, she wants to be able to eat good food.  Very cunning on her part.  My wife is a very good cook.  So, like a professional, she is teaching me the basics of cooking.  I am good with my hands, so I have figured out my way with a kitchen knife.  How about you?  You seem like the type that likes to keep busy. Sasamoto： Yes, I…

20 January 2004 Tokyo Dome City’s new multi-functional complex, LaQua, was the first stop on our city walk list this year. The new complex, with spa facilities, restaurants, shops, and amusement attractions, opened in May of 2003. The theme was to build an oasis in the middle of Tokyo, somewhere to relax, refresh, and have fun. And the first impression of LaQua reflects just that, as the spectacular color from the amusement park catch your eye. Trees lining the paths are bathed in a gold light, show their bare winter limbs, and small shrubs and bushes are also covered in twinkle lights. It seems everywhere you look light is incorporated into something, creating a vibrant light environment. The lux level reading from our illuminance meter doesn’t even begin to reflect the effect the lighting has on the feeling of brightness in the park. Another feature of the park is the world’s first ever center-less ferris wheel, Big O. A roller coaster, also, jets through the middle, unceremoniously illuminated, it only adds to the powerful impression of the gigantic “ring.” The colorful and kinetic lighting on the outer portion of the ring consist of many LED units. Each unit is further broken down into 4 parts to be programmed for a more detailed assortment of lighting display. The ring, the coaster, and the Water Symphony, a water, light, and sound show, in the plaza, turns the nightscape into an, alive, 3-dimensional…

What God do I put my hands together for and pray to? Of course I’ve been to many shrines and temples, but also frequent many Christian churches and Muslim mosques while in foreign countries. I watch the worshipers there and pray as they pray. This is my religious etiquette. In any land and with any people there are not just fun times, but also trying times and sad times. Some might think my religious practice is shady, but in my own level of rational and logic I believe that it just seems right to worship both God and Buddha. Of course I am an atheist and have no definite religious affiliation. However, in the last few years, I have gone to worship at a local shrine, Meiji Shrine, near our office in Shibuya Ward. These are not just spontaneous visits, but official visits by appointment. First, we were involved with the lighting design of Meiji Shrine and accepted their kind offer. Nervously, two other staff and I were all of a sudden thrust into the middle of an official ceremony, but this year was different. LPA applied for an official visit and my suit and tie clad staff and I spent a reflective moment in the shrine. We could hear the throng of a drum, letting the gods know we were coming as we headed towards the inner shrine. While in procession, a low beam of sunlight from behind fell…

2013.08.02 Zou-No-Hana Park, Yokohama Summer Holiday Children`s Workshop @Zou-No-Hana Park, Yokohama Down by the Bay Seventeen children and their parents gathered at dusk at Yokohama`s Zou-No-Hana Park to observe, experience and draw the Yokohama skyline. The children and their parents spread out over the grassy area in full view of the Landmark Tower, World Porter`s Ferries Wheel, Queen`s Square, Red-brick Warehouse, and bay area with front row seats to the gradual shift from daytime to sunset to night. workshop contents 17：50～　Meet and brief orientation 18：10～20：00　draw before and after sunset scene with having lunch box 20：00～20：30　Presentation by each child Drawings in the Night The children had no problem starting their drawings! They each selected what they thought was the most interesting building and set to work. As the children worked drawing the skyline, some noticed the changes in the sky and a few lights here and there began to shine. Some children concentrated on the more concrete objects and buildings of the cityscape, but when pointed out they started to take notice of the changes in the sky and lights of the buildings, ferris wheel, boats, and reflections on the water. Light, natural or artificial, is an abstract concept and especially hard to express for the first time in a drawing. Each drawing turned out different as each child saw the city and its transformation from day to night in their own unique way. The children drew the sky in shades…