The first monograph in Italian devoted to one of the most original figures on the Japanese architectural scene today. Openness, expressive freedom but also awareness of tradition, history and culture of his homeland are united in the work of Terunobu Fujimori, in keeping with a formula that restores to the architect’s profession the dimension of dream, purity of intention and pure obsession. From his earliest years, Fujimori cherished the fantasies that would nurture the adult architect: the idea of flying – he built himself a pair of wings and threw himself off the roof of his house in the effort to fly – the form of a ship, the importance of a technique that combines manual skills with natural materials. After a long period devoted to the history of architecture, in 1991, at a specific request from a client, Fujimori prepared his first project, taking the umpteenth deviation that led him to a professional career now almost thirty years and that has seen him involved in various types of achievements: from buildings for housing to museums, up to company headquarters and commercial spaces. Of outstanding importance, then, is his modern reinterpretation of the traditional teahouse which, as is well known, in Japan boasts a very long history and a very high cultural profile.

This publication contains all the works in a compact, easy-to-consult format. The critical contributions by J.K. Mauro Pierconti and the text Dodecalogue Fujimori: keeping Le Corbusier’s 5 points at a distance, written by Fujimori specially for this book, in which the architect recounts his experience: the problems and discoveries, the defeats and successes of a profession that constantly calls for a bright and curious mind as well as skilful hands.

Of definite interest are the project sketches, which, for the first time, are presented in a certain quantity together with a critical commentary.