Terunobu Fujimori facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Terunobu Fujimori
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Fujimori in 2014
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| Born | November 21, 1946 (age 78) Miyakawa-mura, Suwa, Nagano
 Japan |
| Alma mater | Tōhoku University University of Tokyo |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Awards | Japan Grand Art Prix, Architectural Institute of Japan Prix for the Student Dormitory of Kumamoto Agricultural College |
| Practice | Terunobu Fujimori |
| Buildings | Takasugi-an Tea House, Lamune Onsen |
Terunobu Fujimori (藤森 照信, Fujimori Terunobu, November 21, 1946) is a Japanese architect and historian. He is known for his very unique and sometimes funny building designs.
Fujimori's buildings often use natural materials in surprising ways. He didn't start designing buildings until he was in his forties. Many people think his work is a bit unusual, but it's also very creative! Even though he was famous in Japan, people in other countries didn't know about him much until 2006.
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A Look at His Career
Terunobu Fujimori was born in a place called Miyakawa-mura in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. He went to Tōhoku University and then studied more at the University of Tokyo. Today, he teaches at the University of Tokyo.
In the 1970s, before he became an architect, Fujimori loved to study cities. He and his friends would look for old Western-style buildings and interesting things that just happened naturally in the city. For example, they might notice the shape a tree left on a concrete wall.
In 1991, Fujimori designed his first building. It was the Jinchōkan Moriya Historical Museum in Chino, Nagano. His buildings are known for being a bit quirky and fun. He likes to use natural materials in new ways, sometimes twisting old building ideas. The Jinchōkan Moriya Historical Museum was praised for making people feel familiar with it, even if they had never seen it before.
Fujimori became well-known in Japan as a writer and TV host. But he became famous in the West when he showed his work at the Venice Biennale in 2006. He displayed houses that looked like they were growing plants like leeks and dandelions!
His unique way of looking at cities has inspired younger architects too.
Takasugi-an Tea House: A House in the Sky
The Takasugi-an Tea House was built between 2003 and 2004. It's in Chino, Nagano, which is where Fujimori grew up. This tea house is very special because it sits six meters (about 20 feet) above the ground! It's held up by two large trees. Its name even means "too high tea house."
Instead of walking into this tea house, you climb a ladder to get inside. Fujimori took the old traditions of a Japanese tea house and made them modern. For example, a traditional tea house has a special picture scroll inside. But in Takasugi-an, there's a big window that acts like the scroll. It shows a beautiful view of the town where he grew up. The two chestnut trees holding it up were moved from a nearby mountain.
Lamune Onsen: A Fizzy Hot Spring
The Lamune Onsen was built from 2004 to 2005 in Takeda, Ōita Prefecture. "Lamune" is the name of a popular Japanese fizzy drink. This hot spring is named after it because the water there is warm and bubbly, just like the drink!
The outside of the building has stripes of dark, burnt cedar wood and white plaster. It has many tall towers that let out steam from the hot spring. The tops of these towers are covered with hand-rolled copper sheets, and each one has a live pine tree growing on it! Inside, the waiting room has furniture made from burnt cedar. In the men's section, one wall even has shiny mother-of-pearl shells pressed into it.
Nemunoki Museum of Art: A Hairy Mammoth
The Nemunoki Museum of Art was built from 2004 to 2006 in Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture. This museum was made to show art created by children with physical disabilities. These children attend an institute started by a famous Japanese singer and actress, Mariko Miyagi.
The museum sticks out from a hillside, and Fujimori said it looks like a "hairy mammoth"! The roof is made of hand-rolled copper and has a line of living grass connecting it to the hill. When you visit the museum, you first go through a garden before entering the main building. This path is designed to help you relax and think before you see the amazing artworks. Inside, the simple white rooms have a special screen above the main gallery that looks a bit like a mammoth's spine.
Awards and Recognition
Terunobu Fujimori has won several awards for his work, including:
- Mainichi Publication Culture Award
- Suntory Prize for Social Science and Humanities
- Japan Grand Art Prix for his "Nira (Leek) House"
- Architectural Institute of Japan Prix for the Student Dormitory of Kumamoto Agricultural College (2001)
Some of His Projects
Here are some of the buildings Terunobu Fujimori has designed:
- Jinchōkan Moriya Historical Museum (1991), Chino, Nagano
- Dandelion House (1995), Kokubunji, Tokyo
- Nira House (Leek House) (1997), Machida, Tokyo
- Fuku Akino Art Museum (1998), Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture
- Takasugi-an Tea House (2004), Chino, Nagano
- Chocolate House (2009), Kokubunji, Tokyo
- Roof House (2009), Shiga Prefecture
