Takaharu Tezuka

Takaharu Tezuka’s architectural reach extends far beyond his famous TED Talk, “The Best Kindergarten You've Ever Seen.” From wall-less private residences that connect living spaces with the outside environment to a museum capable of supporting four meters of snow in order to create space for observation below, he is renowned for blending natural surroundings into special designs.

Tezuka and his partner, Yui Tezuka, have completed more than 100 built works ranging from small homes to large civic projects. Regardless of scale, their architecture goes beyond their keen understanding of material, structure and space to emphasize a specific relationship between people and their environment.

As demonstrated by such works as Roof House (2001) and Fuji Kindergarten (2007), each client, user and site translates to a particular place that exhibits a deep yet playful understanding of how a family dwells, children interact, congregations worship and the like. Moving forward, the Tezukas aim to build upon their fundamental observations of life across a broader range of locations and project types.

Read the article on the Panel Discussion focused on Students: “How Innovative Ecosystems in Education Impact the Learning Experience” to which he participated.

View the other speakers of the 2017 Quality of Life Conference.