Tekst: Ivan Ratković
“U svim mojim projektima svetlo ima značajnu ulogu. Ja stvaram zatvorene prostore pretežno putem upotrebe debelih betonskih zidova. Osnovni smisao je formiranje mesta za individuu, zone za pojedinca unutar društva. Kada eksterni faktori gradskog okruženja zahtevaju da zid bude bez otvora, enterijer mora biti naročito ispunjavajući i zadovoljavajući.” – Tadao Ando
Nakon neformalnog obrazovanja kod japanskog stolara i nekoliko nezavisnih studijskih putovanja u Aziju, Evropu i Ameriku, Tadao Ando je prvi put primećen posle rada na kući Azuma, izgrađenoj u Sumiyoshi 1976., za koji je nagrađen nagradom za arhitekturu Japanske arhitektonske asocijacije. Ova dvospratna stambena jedinica, zamišljena kao megaron umetnut između tradicionalnih kuća u nizu, već onda je pokazala osnovne principe Andove arhitekture; njegov bazični koncept stvaranja introspektivnog mikro-kosmosa koji stoji nasuprot urbanom haosu modernog sveta. Ovo je bila strategija, kako je rekao, “upotrebe zidova radi poništavanja zidova”. Posle toga ovaj pristup se dalje manifestovao u vidu serije armirano-betonskih kuća od kojih je svaka, na jedan ili drugi način, usresređena na atrijum, a naročito njegove kuće Matsumoto i Ishihara iz kasnih sedamdesetih izgrađene u predgrađu Osake. Prva od njih fokusirana je na terasu – otvor ka šumskom rezervatu. Drugo obeležje ove male trospratne kuće odnosi se na Andovu bazičnu sintaksu koja podrazumeva, na prvom mestu, njegovu uobičajenu upotrebu neobrađenog betona, unutra i spolja, ili u vidu zidova omotača ili u vidu slobodnostojećeg okvira, koji koristi u kombinaciji sa velikim površinama od staklenih ploča ili blokova, koje su uramljene u čelične profile ofarbane u sivo.
Kenneth Frampton, “Thoughts on Tadao Ando”, esej prezentovan prilikom dodele Prtzkerove nagrade za arhitekturu 1995. godine.
Pisati o Tadau Andu veoma je lako. Kod njega je sve jednostavno i jasno. Paul Valeri je jednom prilikom rekao kako je genijalnost jednostavna.
Ando nije voleo školu ili možda bolje reći da se nije uklapao u konvencje školskog sistema. On ne poseduje diplomu takozvane visoke školske spreme. Arhitekturu nije učio u školi, ali nije jedini od velikana savremene arhitekture koji nema diplomu arhitektonskog fakulteta. Iz više razloga interesantno je ovom prilikom podsetit ko sve nema diplomu arhitektonskog fakulteta: Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van de Rohe, Le Corbusier, Louis Barragan, Filip Johnson, James Wines – najelitnija imena savremene arhitekture. Sve ove ljude povezuje originalno i autentično delo koje su stvorili.
Loše koncipirana škola koja guši kreativnost i osposobljava za prosečnost, ali fatalno blokira dalji keativni razvoj. Naravno da arihitektonska diploma nije uvek prepreka na putu ka autentičnom arhitektonskom delu. Od stotina arhitektonskih škola postoji samo nekoliko koje znaju kako se razvija kreativnost. Na Harwardu i Yaleu Ando povremeno gostuje gde uz pratnju prevodioca uživo predstavlja svoje ideje. Šta očekivati od ostalih – većine fakulteta sa kojih nikada nijedno prepoznatljivo arhitektonsko ime nije izašlo. Nažalost većina studenata ne uspeva da izbegne kobnu sudbinu ulaska u mašinu za prozvodnju mediokriteta.
Tadao Ando je na vreme napravio radikalan izbor – klonio se škole. Njegov omiljeni sport kojim se bavio u mladosti bio je boks. Čitao je razne knjige i posebno ga je zainteresovala jedna o Corbusieu. To je bio samo podsticaj da krene na put, jer je odmah shvatio da arhitekturu može upoznati samo ako je dodirne. Ando po francuskoj obilazi Corbusieova dela i nastavlja putovanje po Americi gde posebnu pažnju poklanja objektima Luis Kahna – imao je prefinjen ukus za jednog neškolovanog mladića. Kasnije ovu dvojicu arhitekata Ando često pominje kao svoje uzore. Po povratku sa putovanja Ando u Japanu kratko radi u arhitektonskom birou tek toliko da bi savladao osnovnu tehniku arhitektonskog crtanja koliko je neophodno za artikulaciju ideje u tehnički crtež. To mu je bilo dovoljno da počne samostalno da radi.
Reklo bi se odjednom sledi fascinantna karijera. Kao što smo rekli na početku kod njega sve deluje krajnje jednostavno. Ando ne luta, on od početnih radova prezentuje jasan koncept koji bezkompromisno sledi kroz izuzetno bogatu karijeru. Fenomen zvani Ando postoji i zahvaljujuci investitorima koji prepoznaju njegov strog metafizički arhitektonski izraz koji je najmanje dopadljiv sa stanovišta popularne kulture. U današnjoj poplavi arhitektonskog kiča i takozvanih trendova koji laskaju sujeti investitora, Ando beskompromisno gradi samo svoju arhitekturu.
FENOMEN ANDO – VAN VREMENSKA ARHITEKTURA – PUT U VEČNOST
Kada se negde u svetu neko strahovito obogati da ima sve što pare mogu da kupe i onda shvati da to nije sve, da najvrednije nije na prodaju, tu nastaje preokret i to je početak komunikacije na jednom višem nivou. Samo oni koji su već shvatili šta hoće, traže arhitektu koga nemogu kupiti. Podrazumeva se da treba platiti troškove puta sa Andom u svet večnosti. Njegova arhitektura je još od početnih radova ritualnog karaktera. Porodična Kuća Azuma iz 1976, na placu dimezija 3.5m sa 12m koji je sa tri strane oivičen kućama poseduje u malom sakralne elemente (kosmičku relaciju sa silama prirode) koliko i Chichu muzej (2005.) koji se prostire na nekoliko hektara.
CHICHU – MUZEJ POD ZEMLJOM
Tadao Ando se sa Chichu Muzejom vraća na intenzivne radove malih razmera koji su prvi (Azuma kuća) učinili arhitektu iz Osake poznatim. Na isti način kao i u svojoj Crkvi Svjetlosti (dovršena 1989 u Ibaraki, predgrađu Osake) i drugim ranim projektima, taj svetilištu nalik muzej usredotočuje pozornost na svetlost i nebo. Prigodno nazvanom chichu, ili “u zemlji”, novi muzej je ugrađen (ukopan) u brdovitom mestu s pogledom na japansko unutarnje more. Ukopana ulazna rampa vodi do pristupnog lobija. Ovaj blago nagnut prilazni put pojačava tenziju i strepnju od onoga što tek dolazi. Krećući se kroz muzej posetioci su stalno izloženi senzacijama između tame i svetla, betonske mase i otvora, procepa ka nebu. Cantralni prostor je truglaste osnove koji povezuje izložbene prostore za tri umetnika.
U privatnom vlasništvu Naoshimi Fukutake Art Museum Foundation, zgrada Chichu Muzeja (2700 m2) ima trajnu postavku (instalacije radova) samo tri umetnika – Claude Monet, Walter de Maria i James Turrell – svake prikazane u samostalnim galerijama. Galerije su povezane labirintom. Slede prostori svjetla i tame, otvoreni i zatvoreni, oni služe i kao prolaz i odredišta.
Posetioci putuju do muzeja na udaljenom ostrvu kako bi videli umetnost, ali odlaze impresionirani sa snažnim uticajem Andove arhitekture.
U tom smislu zgrada daje dojam hrama, mjesto za meditaciju i kontemplaciju, gde je “pesničko” oblikovanje prostora i odnosa između zgrade i krajolika, između dela ljudskih ruku i prirode, u kompozicijskom skladu tipičnom za Andovu arhitekturu gde su dostignute vanvremenske vrednosti svetog mesta ili senzibilitet „ruine“ okružene prirodom.
Limitirajući arhitekturu na podzemnu strukturu, Chichu muzej nema arhitektonsku fasadu. Fasada – izgled objekta je brdo sa jednim otvorom za ulazak. Arhitektonski elementi sagledivi su samo iz ptičije perspektive kao procepi za prodor svetlosti. Ovde je Ando još jednom iskoristo svoju veštinu saradnje sa silama prirode, kroz jedinstvo objekta i okoline ali i neverovatno uspešnu saradnju sa umetnicim čija su dela integralni deo arhitekture. Umetnički doprinos De Maria i Jamesa Turrella koji su aktivno učestvovali u projektu, čine zajedničko umetničko delo.
Te vrednosti i značenja pojavljuju se u poslednjih nekoliko drugih projekata izričito povezani s ovom jednom, kao što su Kumamoto Muzej drveta (šume), Awajishima Hram vode, Naoshima Muzej suvremene umjetnosti i, iznad svega, Kapela na vodi u Tomamu na Okkaido visoravni.
HRAM VODE
U zalivu Osaka, na brdu iznad luke Ando je sagradio Hram Vode. Posetilac prati usku stazu koja ga vodi upravno ka betoskom zidu visokom 3m sa jednim uskim otvorom. Prošavši kroz taj otvor ne nalazimo ulaz već još jedan ovalni zid koji obilazimo da bi nam se ukazao ovalni lotusov bazen prečnika 40m. Kroz centar bazena silazi se u hram. Ispod bazena smešten je hram sa statuom buddhe koja je okrenuta leđima zapadu odakle jedini otvor propušta sunčeve zrake. Ovde se najbolje može razumeti šta ando misli kada kaže: arhitektura je zaboravila da prostor može biti izvor inspiracije.
CRKVA SVETLOSTI
Za Crkvu Svetla se kaže da predstavlja Andov arhitektonski potpis. Ona simboliše Andov filozofski stav o odnosu sila prirode i arhitekture. Po njemu Svetlo može stvarati nove prostorne percepcije isto koliko i čvrste materijalne strukture. Za Anda, Crkva Svetlosti izražava dualitet arhitekture – dualnu prirodu koegzistencije – puno/prazno, lako/teško, svetlo/tamno, puno/providno. Prisustvo ovih razlika oslobađaju crkvu bilo kakve ornamentike, stvarajući čist skoro prazan prostor. Intersekcije svetla kroz betonske zidove stvaraju kod prisutnih prožimanja spiritualnih i sekularnih osećanja. Upotrebom grubih materijala pojačava se dualitet prostora; betonska konstrukcija otklanja svaku sličnost sa tradicijonalnim hrisćanskim motivima i estetikom. Dosledno minimalističkoj arhitekturi krst koji je usečen na istočnom zidu od poda do plafona i od zida do zida predstavlja jedini religiski simbol. Ando ovde postiže, kao i u svojim drugim projektima, nadrealne efekte pretvaranja materijalnog u nematerijalno, tamu u svetlo i svetlo u prostor.
Crkva svetlosti nalazi se u svim enciklopedijama moderne arhitekture mada je to po svojim dimenzijama mali objekat veličine svega 113m2. To je toliko skroman objekat da je za izradu drvenog poda i unutrašnjeg nameštaj korišćeno drvo od oplate.
MUZEJI NA VODI – ANDO & François Pinault Foundation for Contemporary Art
Kada je najbogati francuz Francois Pino osnovao svoju Fondaciju za modernu umetnost on je pozvao Anda da mu pomogne da ovekoveči svoje bogatstvo. Pino je za svoju umetničku fondaciju izabrao tri neverovatne lokacije od kojih nepostoje bolje. Kupio jednu od najlepših venecijanskih zgrada Pallaco Grassi koju je Ando preuredio u galeriju moderne umetnosti. Vrhunac predstavlja kupovina Punta Dogane. To je rt poput pramca broda na kome plovi crkva Santa Maria de la Salute. Na pramcu ispred crkve nalazi se trouglasta građevina zvana Punta Dogana koju je Ando u nekoliko prepoznatljivih poteza preuredio u galeriju umetničke fondacije. Treća lokacija koju je Pino odabrao je u Parizu. To je najveće ostrvo na Seni gde se nalazila stara fabrika Reno. Ando je projekte uradio 2008, ali se još uvek vode pregovori oko dozvola.
Od mnogobrojnih radova koje je Ando realizovao u proteklih 40 godina njegovog stvaralaštva mi smo ovde pomenuli pet objekata. Mogli smo isto tako da izaberemo bilo koje druge objekte i uvek bi to bio samo Ando.
Text: Ivan Ratković
“In all my works, light is an important controlling factor. I create enclosed spaces mainly by means of thick concrete walls. The primary reason is to create a place for the individual, a zone for oneself within society. When the external factors of a city’s environment require the wall to be without openings, the interior must be especially full and satisfying.” –Tadao Ando
After an informal apprenticeship to a Japanese carpenter and a number of independent study tours in Asia, Europe and the Americas, Tadao Ando first came to public notice with his diminutive Azuma house realized in Sumiyoshi in 1976 for which he received the Japanese Architectural Association prize for architecture. This two-story dwelling, conceived as a megaron inserted within a row of traditional terrace houses, already established the essential principles of Ando’s architecture; his basic concept of creating introspective microcosms to stand against the urban chaos of the late modern world. This was a strategy, as he put it, of “using walls to defeat walls.” Thereafter this approach manifested itself in a series of reinforced concrete houses each of which was focused in one way or another about an atrium, in particular his Matsumoto and Ishihara houses of the late seventies built in the suburbs of Osaka. Where the first of these focused about a terrace, opening onto a forest reserve, the second number of features in this small three story house established Ando’s basic syntax, comprising in the first instance his habitual use of fair-faced in-situ concrete, inside and out, either as a bounding wall or as a free-standing frame, combined with large areas of plate glass or glass block, framed in steel and painted grey.
By Kenneth Frampton, “Thoughts on Tadao Ando”, the essay presented at The Pritzker Architecture Prize 1995
It is very easy to write about Tadao Ando. With him everything is simple and clear. Paul Valery once said that there is geniality in simplicity.
Ando did not like school, or rather he did not fit into the conventional school system. He does not have a degree in Architecture, but is not the only famous architect without one, others include: Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van de Rohe, Le Corbusier, Louis Barragan, Philip Johnson, James Wines and other eminent names in contemporary architecture. All these people have a common trait – original and authentic work.
Poorly conceived schools gives rise to mediocrity and blocks creative development. Of course, a degree in architecture is not always an obstacle on the path to authentic architectural work. Only a few of the hundreds of schools of architecture know how to generate creativity. As a guest lecturer, Ando, accompanied by an interpreter, occasionally visits Harvard and Yale where he presents his ideas in person to the students. What can we expect from the rest – most faculties never produce an eminent architect and unfortunately, most students cannot escape the fatal destiny of becoming machine generated mediocrity.
Tadao Ando made a radical choice – he chose not to go to school. His favorite sport, which he practiced in his youth, was boxing. He read many different books but the one that he was especially intrigued by was a book about Corbusier. This readings however were only an encouragement, and he soon realized that he must take a closer look in order to really learn about architecture. He first visited Le Corbusier’s works in France and then continued his trip in America, where he took a great interest in Louis Kahn’s work – for an uneducated young man he had a refined taste. Later, Ando often refers to these architects as his role models. After returning to Japan, Ando began working in an architecture studio so he could acquire the basic techniques of architectural drawing that are necessary for the transmission of an idea into a design. This proved to be just what he needed to begin his own work independently.
Suddenly, it seems, this development was followed by a fascinating career. As we said before with Ando everything seems simple. Since his early work, he has presented a clear concept, which he follows uncompromisingly, that is present throughout his career. The Phenomenon that is Ando exists partly because of investors who recognized his metaphysical, strict architectural expression which is least attractive from the stand point of popular culture. In spite of today’s flood of architectural kitsch and so-called trends which flatter investors’ vanity, Ando uncompromisingly builds only his pure vision of architecture.
PHENOMENON ANDO – TIMELESS ARCHITECTURE – THE ROAD TO ETERNITY
The moment when the wealthy realize that money is not everything and that the most valuable things in life are not for sale, marks a turning point and is the beginning of a communication at a higher level. Only those who already understand what they want, look for an architect they cannot buy. It is implied that one must pay the expenses for the “journey to the world of eternity” with Ando. His architecture has shown a ritualistic characteristic from the very beginning. The Azuma Family House (1976), which is located on a 3.5 by 12 m lot, is bordered by houses on three sides. It also has religious elements (the cosmic relation with the forces of nature), similar to the Chichu Museum (2005) which covers several acres.
CHICHU – MUSEUM UNDER THE GROUND
With his Chichu Museum Tadao Ando returns to intensive small-scale works that made the architect from Osaka famous in the first place (Azuma House). In the same way his Church of the Light (completed in 1989 in Ibaraki in the suburb of Osaka) and other projects, this shrine-like museum focuses its attention on light and the sky. Appropriately called Chichu, or “in the ground”, the new museum is built into a hillside overlooking the Japanese inland sea. Below ground an entrance ramp leads to the access lobby. This gently sloping access path enhances the tension and anxiety of what is yet to come. While walking through the museum visitors are constantly exposed to the sensations of darkness and light, concrete solidity and the openings to the sky. The central space has a triangular base and connects the exhibition spaces of three artists.
The Chichu Museum (2700m2), owned by Naoshima Fukutake Art Museum Foundation, hosts the permanent exhibitions of three artists – Claude Monet, Walter De Maria and James Turrell – each presented in its own gallery which are connected with a maze of channels. Darkness and light, open and closed spaces alternate rhythmically and serve both as pathways as well as destinations. Visitors travel to the remote island to see works of art, but they leave strongly impressed by the impact of Ando’s architecture. The building is perceived like a temple, a place for meditation and contemplation, where the “poetic” design of the space and the relationship between the building and the landscape, between what is man-made and nature’s work, stands in a compositional harmony which is typical for Ando’s architecture. It achieves the timeless values of a sacred place or the sensibility of the “ruin” surrounded by nature.
Limiting its architecture to the underground structure, the Chichu Museum does not have an architectural facade. The Façade, or appearance of the building, is the hill, into which the entrance is cut. The only Architectural elements that are visible are the openings for light penetration in the hill which interestingly can only be seen from a bird’s eye view. Here, Ando once again uses his skills of designing in harmony with the forces of nature to unify the building and its environment. Also there is an incredibly successful collaboration with the artists whose works are an integral part of architecture itself. The artistic contribution of De Maria and James Turrell who actively participated in the project, make it an uncommon work of art.
These values and meanings emerge in several other projects specifically related to this one, such as the Kumamoto Museum of wood (forest), Awajishima Water Temple, Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum, and, above all else, The Chapel on the water on Tomamu Okkaido plateau.
WATER TEMPLE
In the Osaka Bay Area on a hill above the harbor sits Andos’ Water Temple. Visitors follow a narrow path that leads to the 3m high perpendicular concrete wall which has a narrow opening. After passing through this opening the visitor encounters another oval wall which he circumvents to get to the area where an 40m diameter oval lotus pool comes in to sight. In the center of this pool the visitor then fnids steps which descend to the entrance below. Under the pool, in the temple, sits a statue of Buddha with his back facing west, he is delicately located at the one point where light enters from above. This is what Ando means when he says: “Architecture has forgotten that the space can be a source of inspiration”.
CHURCH OF THE LIGHT
It is said that the Church of the Light represents the essence of Ando’s architectural signature. It symbolizes his philosophical attitude towards the relationship between the powers of nature and architecture. According to him light can introduce new spatial perceptions as much as a solid structures do. For Ando, the Church of the Light expresses the duality of architecture – the coexistence of its dual nature – full/empty, easy/difficult, light/dark, opacity/transparence. The presence of these differences replace the need for ornament, creating a clean nearly empty space. Intersections of light through the concrete walls create an intertwining of secular and spiritual feelings in the observer. The use of raw materials reinforces the duality of space; the concrete structure eliminates any resemblance to traditional Christian motifs or aesthetics. Consistent with a minimalist architectural approach is the manner in which a cross is cut into the east wal,l from floor to ceiling and wall to wall, it is the only religious symbol visible. Here he achieves, as in his other projects, the surreal effect of turning the material into the immaterial, the darkness into light and light into space.
Although small in dimension at only 113m2 the powerful impact that the Church of Light has had is mirrored in the ubiquity of its presence in modern architectural literature. It’s modesty however still remains intact and is manifested in the materials of the building itself where the formwork was used for the wood flooring and the furniture
MUSEUM ON THE WATER – ANDO & François Pinault Foundation for Contemporary Art
When a wealthy Frenchman named Francois Pino, established his Foundation for Modern Art, he called on Ando. For his Art Foundation, Pino selected three outstanding locations. After purchasing one of the most beautiful Venetian buildings, Palace Grassi, he had Ando transform it into a gallery of modern art. The second purchase, and highlight, was the Punta Dogana which is a bow like cape on which the Church of Santa Maria de la Salute is sailing. At the bow in front of the church is a triangular structure called Punta Dogana which Ando, in several recognizable moves, had turned into a gallery of the art foundation. The third location that Pino chose was in Paris. It is the largest island on the Seine, where an old factory of Reno is situated. Ando finished the project in 2008, but negotiations about licenses have not yet been completed.
Among the numerous works by Ando, realized over the past 40 years, we have only had space to here mentioned five. We could also have chosen any of the remaining works and yet, the result would again be Ando.
