TADAO ANDO

Koshino House, Ashiya

Group 6
Tutor – Mr. Bryan
Biography

Born 13th September 1941 in

Osaka Japan

Ando had many careers

including professional boxer,
local carpenter

“As it happens work was

carried on where I lived when I
was 15, and I got to know some
of the carpenters. About the
same time, in a used book store
I saw a book on the complete
work of Le Corbusier. I
recopied some of his drawings
and I would say that that is
how I began to be interested in
architecture”
Traits in Tadao Ando’s buildings
Emptiness
Within only light and
space surround the
visitor.

Koshino House, Japan 1980-84

Church of Light, Japan 1988 4 x 4 House, Japan 2001-3

Tactility in the use of light and shadows

Hard walls seem soft to touch. They exclude then enclose, admitting light, wind and passing visitor,
who leaves behind the disorder of everyday existence to be sheltered in a realm of stillness.
 Tadao Ando blends
together the site and the
building.

He does this by
incorporating the
landscape into the
building.

Additionally, Ando
makes use of every bit of
the site

Chichu Art Museum 2004

Pringiers in Sri Lanka 2005

Materiality
His powerful concrete walls set a limit. Beyond this point there is no passage but that is
opened by his will.

• mostly uses concrete, glass and wooden and stone floors

KOSHINO HOUSE
Located at the foot of the
Rokko Mountains, in Ashiya
City, east of Kobe.

Completed in two phases

(1980-81and 1983-84).

The Koshino House was

originally made up of two
parallel rectangular
concrete boxes.
In the second phase, a fan shaped
extension which now contains the
Atelier was added.

One unusual feature of this house

is that the visitor approaches it
from above, and is fully aware of
the plan of the house, if not its
specific function from outside.

The design element requires

extreme austerity

* Additional curve
Renovated in the year
1983.
Ground Floor Plan

1. Atelier

2. Living room

3. Bed rooms

The volume closer to six

identical rooms, is aligned
like Le Corbusier’s monastic
cells at Sainte-Marie-de-la-
Tourette.
First Floor Plan

1. Study

2. Bedroom

3. Terrace
Principles of Designs Used in the Koshino House

Brutalism/ Brutal architecture

Asymmetrical Balance

Non separated

Alignment

Scale & Proportion

Unity. Harmony

Pattern-Repetition

Hierarchy

Blending
Brutalism Architecture

It is a movement in architecture
that flourished from the 1950s to
the mid-1970s, descending from
the modernist architectural
movement of the early 20th
century.

A term used by Le Corbusier to

describe his choice of material.
Tadao Ando who is highly
inspired from Le Corbusier uses
this kind of architecture in a lot
of his buildings.

It is raw and without

ornamentation
Asymmetrical Balance

Not symmetrical , with the parts

not arranged correspondingly
identical on both sides of the
central axis.

It creates a sense of equilibrium

by the arrangement of two sets of
forms of different size and shape.
In this case the middle staircase
acts like the line of symmetry and
both sides have asymmetrical
balance.
Non Separated

When one structure gives

an illusion of being
separated yet being
connected.

The structure here is

separated along the axis in
the exterior while
connected underground in
the interior.

This gives an illusion of

separation and yet is
connected.
Alignment

When the plan of the design

structure has all its elements
parallel to each other.

In this case the 2

rectangular blocks are
parallel to each other hence
its aligned together.

The later addition has one

of its sides parallel to the
structure too.
Scale and Proportion

The relationship of one part or the whole to an outside measure, such as the human body.

Variation of scale. INTIMATE, IMPRESSIVELY and MONUMENTAL.

This is an intimate scale.

The living room and dinning room have a double story height which is balanced by the small
area given to the living and dinning area.
Unity. Harmony

A oneness and absence of

diversity ; a combination or
arrangements and the
ordering of all the elements in
a work that each contributes
to the total aesthetic effect.

This is seen in the interior of

the building.

With similar materials and

same esthetic value and
openings.
Pattern Repetition

The repetitive elements in design.

The ordered arrangement of parts into a pattern may occur at various scales at different
distances.

This is seen in the interior, the rectangular structure have a sense of repetition
room alignment with a pattern of the window opening in one rectangle also shows pattern
Hierarchy

A special importance or significance placed upon or imparted to something; a sharpness

or vividness of outline.

Emphasis requires that one idea or design themes be dominant, and is important in
achieving unity in design

This idea that dominates is given greater forcefulness through making other features less
prominent
Blending

Gradual merging of one thing

into another; the process of
bringing together into one.

The building blending in with

the topography of the
surrounding forms a union
between nature and the
building itself.
Conclusion
All of Ando’s choices in life have shaped him into the Architect he is today.

He challenged the norms as he started his career and today has his own philosophy.

His designs are modern and pure in form and space. Everything he creates is
harmoniously in balance though evidently sharp.

He believes that less is more.

Tadao Ando has won many international awards in architecture, which is why he remains
one of the world’s leading contemporary architects.
References
Allen, K. (2014, September). Spotlight: Tadao Ando. Retrieved from ArchDaily :
http://www.archdaily.com/tag/tadao-ando/

Ando, T. (2002). The Spirit of Modernism. (R. Ivy, Interviewer) 2015 Dodge Data &
Analytics. Retrieved March 23, 2015, from http://architect.architecture.sk/tadao-ando-
architect/tadao-ando-architect.php

Baek, J. (2009). Nothingness: Tadao Ando's Christian Sacred Space. New York :
Routledge.

Frearson, A. (2011, September 20). De Zeen. Retrieved from House in Sri Lanka by
Tadao Ando : http://www.dezeen.com/tag/tadao-ando/

Furuyama, M. (2006). Tadao Ando. (P. Gossel, Ed., & L. Hoaglaund, Trans.) Germany:
Taschan GmbH Hohenzollernring.

Jodidio, P. (1997). Tadao Ando. (A. Pfotenhauer, Ed.) Italy: Benedikt Taschen Verlag
GmbH.
Mariana. (n.a). Koshino House [Online image].
Retrieved March 23, 2015 from http://www.archdaily.com/161522/ad-classics-koshino-house-
tadao-ando/

Maya, & Ray, V. (2013). Koshino House [Online image]. Retrieved March 23, 2015 from
http://www.cgarchitect.com/2013/04/koshino-house6

[Untitled illustration of Chichu Museum on Naoshima]. Retrieved March 23, 2015

from http://biginjapan.com.au/2010/04/going-underground/

[Untitled illustration of koshino house]. Retrieved March 23, 2015

from http://imgkid.com/koshino-house-model.shtml

[Untitled illustration of site plan]. Retrieved March 23, 2015

from http://errabundi.net/pf-academic/v/2009summer/bldganalysis/site_plan_2.jpg.html

[Untitled illustration of rentered koshino house]. Retrieved March 23, 2015

from http://www.archdaily.com/161522/ad-classics-koshino-house-tadao-
ando/koshino5_hoiol/

[Untitled koshino furniture]. Retrieved March 23, 2015

from http://www.thenent.com/space/gallery/
[Untitled illustration of fan shape in koshino house]. Retrieved March 23, 2015
from http://architecturepastebook.co.uk/post/59692871871/arqvac-koshino-house-by-tadao-
ando

[Untitled illustration of Koshino house]. Retrieved March 23, 2015

from http://pixshark.com/tadao-ando-koshino-house.htm

[Untitled illustration of Koshino house]. Retrieved March 23, 2015

from www.behance.net/gallery/Koshino-House/10250045