ABSTRACT
The period between 1990 and 2020 witnessed the globalization of high-style architecture by Japanese designers and construction firms. Examples of their work spanned multiple continents, far beyond the geographical confines of Japan. Whether as jurors, consultants, or designers, Japanese building professionals became indispensable to major international competitions and projects that carried substantial budgets and name recognition. To understand the meteoric rise of Japanese architecture—as a uniform heading encompassing the work of practitioners based in Japan—this chapter ruminates over the zeitgeist of Akihito's reign to search for resonance in architectonic work of the same time. The emperor's cosmopolitanism, popular appeal, and authenticity translated to soft power for steering world opinion favourably towards Japan. Similarly, prestige Japanese design beamed with apolitical appeal, commercialized creativity, and performative cultural authenticity. Yet Japanese architecture, unlike Akihito, operated differently in sidestepping tough issues like political reconciliations with Asian neighbours, social and gender equality, and tempering of elitism. Ultimately, high-quality, high-budget architecture by star designers such as Itō Toyō, SANAA, and Ban Shigeru presented to the world a universally palatable ‘Japanese’ face desired by clients and aficionados alike.
