Dialogue:The joys of observing nature and history

Biohistory journal,Winter, 2005

Biohistory journal,Autumn, 2005: Index >The joys of observing nature and history

Exploration from the real
The joys of observing nature and history
Terunobu Fujimori and Keiko Nakamura

Terunobu Fujimori
Keiko Nakamura, Gneral Director, JT Biohistory Research Hall

After the Dialogue / Terunobu Fujimori
    Walking…seeing…thinking…I sometimes wonder about the origins of my joy in the fieldwork that I’ve done ever since I was young. Lately I’ve begun to think that it originates in the hunting instinct. I don’t know whether hunting is ultimately an instinct, but at the least it’s something that our species has done since its birth. The bulk of the time in the history of humankind is accounted for by hunting.
    I suspect that this joy of hunting eventually opened up fieldwork as a domain of knowledge when humankind entered the era of thought and knowledge. I think that the most correct translation for “fieldwork” is “hunting”.
    People often say that they get terrific ideas when they are out walking. My time for getting ideas is when I’m on the train. Perhaps that’s because the brain is activated when the body is moving or when it is vibrating. While each of us is different, I secretly believe that one who is more primitive has that tendency to the same extent.

Fujimori:
The basis of the architecture that we often see today is “a box with windows”. When Bauhaus first conceived of this idea, it was a complete rejection of nature and history. There is nothing that expresses natural sciences in a way as easily understood as that. There won’t be anything left if nature and history are removed.

Nakamura:
Nothing can be foreseen in the world of nature. While there are fears about this unpredictability, it also has interest. When nature and history were removed by Bauhaus, I felt he has really done something that has no value whatsoever.

Fujimori:
Modern science is truly not seeing nature. We must call for the return of nature and history again. Humankind created culture at a certain point in history. I think that age is near. Our culture came under attack in the 20th century, and today we wonder what comes next.

Nakamura:
Now, there is a lack of clarity for things of interest. If a young genius comes along and systematizes this lack of clarity, I’ll feel a lot better. I’d like to be involved with the birth of a new academic discipline and culture.

Tanpopo House Tanpopo House
“I plant dandelions and garlic chives on the roof, but that’s considered odd in architecture.”

Dialogue

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Fujimori: The basis of the architecture that we often see today is “a box with windows”. When Bauhaus first conceived of this idea, it was a complete rejection of nature and history. There is nothing that expresses natural sciences in a way as easily understood as that. There won’t be anything left if nature and history are removed. Nakamura: Nothing can be foreseen in the world of nature. While there are fears about this unpredictability, it also has interest. When nature and history were removed by Bauhaus, I felt he has really done something that has no value whatsoever. Fujimori: Modern science is truly not seeing nature. We must call for the return of nature and history again. Humankind created culture at a certain point in history. I think that age is near. Our culture came under attack in the 20th century, and today we wonder what comes next. Nakamura: Now, there is a lack of clarity for things of interest. If a young genius comes along and systematizes this lack of clarity, I’ll feel a lot better. I’d like to be involved with the birth of a new academic discipline and culture.

	Tanpopo House “I plant dandelions and garlic chives on the roof, but that’s considered odd in architecture.”