ABSTRACT
Japanese manufacturing occurs in a dual economy. Much of what has been written focuses on the large scale; in this article I will illustrate the opportunities for the architect which result from working with small manufacturers and producers. In her book The Technological Transformation of Japan: From the Seventeenth to the Twenty-first Century, Tessa Morris-Suzuki demonstrates how two levels of production systems in Japan work in tandem and supply different segments of the market. These are defined as the “center” (large-scale sophisticated production supported by governmental activities and major corporations) and the “periphery” (small, localized production).1
