Architecture must bridge the gap between human life and the natural environment, an ethos deeply ingrained in Kengo Kuma’s philosophy.  Kuma prioritizes harmony with surroundings, using materials like wood and stone that are not only sustainable but also evoke warmth and intimacy. Throughout Kuma’s projects, such as the Japan National Stadium and V&A Dundee in Scotland, Kuma has challenged modernist trends that overemphasize industrial materials like concrete. Instead, he advocates for lightness, transparency and adaptability— values rooted in Japanese traditions that are also universally resonant. In this lecture, Kuma invites architects, designers, and students to reconsider their roles in fostering a symbiotic relationship with nature. Together, we can craft a future where urban landscapes complement their natural contexts rather than compete with them.

Kengo Kuma established Kengo Kuma & Associates (KKAA) in 1990. The firm currently has projects underway in more than 50 countries. Kuma is a professor and Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo, after teaching at Keio University. His major publications include Kengo Kuma Onomatopoeia Architecture Grounding (X-Knowledge), Nihon no Kenchiku (Architecture of Japan, Iwanami Shoten), Zen Shigoto (Kengo Kuma,Complete Works, Daiwa Shobo), Ten Sen Men (Point Line Plane, Iwanami Shoten), Makeru Kenchiku (Architecture of Defeat, Iwanami Shoten), Shizen na Kenchiku (Natural Architecture, Iwanami Shinsho), Chii-sana Kenchiku (Small Architecture, Iwanami Shinsho), and many others.