Learn about one of Japan's most iconic architectural movements.

In 1960, Japan was on the cusp of transformation. Post-war recovery gained critical momentum and technologies advanced. Cities were growing rapidly, and a new need for mass housing and infrastructure sparked challenges and opportunities in the urban context.

A group of young Japanese designers and architects were eager to respond creatively to this new landscape. The occasion came at the World Design Conference in Tokyo, when they presented a manifesto titled METABOLISM/1960–Proposals for a New Urbanism, championing then-innovative concepts such as capsule architecture and prefabrication, and embracing bold forms, sophisticated architectural elements and massive urban structures that continue to fascinate designers today.

Dr Raffaele Pernice, Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Urbanism at the School of Built Environment, UNSW Sydney introduces the work of the Metabolists. The talk examines the merits and limitations of the urban architectural projects and planning schemes they developed in response to Japan’s rapid post-war urbanisation. It also reflects on the lessons and legacy of the Metabolist oeuvre, sixty years on from the manifesto’s release. Ultimately, it considers how the visions and ideas of this dynamic but fleeting movement might be reinterpreted and adapted to address the future needs of contemporary cities.

For more information visit: https://jpf.org.au/metabolism