Itsuko Hasegawa facts for kids

Itsuko Hasegawa (長谷川 逸子, Hasegawa Itsuko, born 1941) is a famous Japanese architect. She is known for designing many interesting buildings, especially public spaces that people can enjoy.

About Her Life

The Shonandai Bunka Center, a building Itsuko Hasegawa designed.

Itsuko Hasegawa was born in 1941 in Yaizu City, Japan. She loved architecture from a young age. She studied at Kanto Gakuin University and finished her studies in 1964.

After university, she worked with other famous architects like Kiyonori Kikutake and Kazuo Shinohara. This helped her learn a lot about designing buildings. In 1976, she started her own design studio in Tokyo. It was first called Itsuko Hasegawa Architectural Design Studio. Later, it was simply renamed the Architectural Design Studio.

Itsuko Hasegawa has also shared her knowledge by giving talks. She has lectured in many different countries, including Rotterdam, Australia, Norway, and Los Angeles.

Designing Amazing Buildings

In 1987, Itsuko Hasegawa won a big competition. She was chosen to design the Shonandai Bunka Center. This building was special because parts of it were planned to be underground. At first, some local people were worried about this design.

But Itsuko Hasegawa didn't give up. She talked a lot with the residents. She listened to their concerns and explained her ideas. Because of her efforts, when the building started being built in 1989, everyone loved the design! It became a very popular place.

In 1989, she also designed a theatre for a special exhibition in Nagoya. It was a temporary theatre with 270 seats.

One of her other big projects was the Niigata Performing Arts Centre. She won another competition to design this huge complex. It includes a large concert hall, a theatre, and a special Noh theatre. Noh is a traditional Japanese musical drama. This whole center is surrounded by a beautiful park. It was built on land that used to be part of the Shinano River.

Awards and Honors

Itsuko Hasegawa has received many important awards for her work. These awards show how much her designs are respected around the world.

Some of her awards include:

• The Design Prize from the Architectural Institute of Japan for her work on the Bizan Hall.
• The Japan Cultural Design Award for her residential projects (designing homes).
• She was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). This is a big honor for architects.
• The Japan Art Academy Award in 2000.
• An Honorary Degree Award from University College London.
• She was also elected as an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Cool Buildings She Designed

Here are some of the interesting buildings Itsuko Hasegawa has designed:

• Tokumaru children's clinic, Ehime (1979)
• Aono building, Ehime (1980)
• Bizan Hall, Shizuoka (1984)
• Sugai Internal Clinic, Ehime (1986)
• Shonandai Cultural Centre (1987-1990)
• Cardiff Bay Opera House (1995)
• Himi Seaside Botanical Garden (1995)

The Yamanashi Fruit Museum and Garden, Japan.

• Yamanashi Fruit Museum and Garden (1995)
• Niigata City Performing Arts Centre (1993-1998)
• Sumida Culture Factory (1994)
• Namekawa Housing (1998)

Books She Wrote

Itsuko Hasegawa has also written books about her work and ideas on architecture.

Sofa designed by Itsuko Hasegawa, displayed in Paris.

• Itsuko Hasegawa, published in 1993.
• Itsuko Hasegawa, with Stephen Dobney, published in 1997.
• Island Hopping - Crossover Architecture, published in 2000.

See also

In Spanish: Itsuko Hasegawa para niños