Junya Ishigami: Freeing Architecture

A large-format, storybook-like celebration of Ishigami’s elegant, light-filled landscape architecture and buildings.

Japanese architect Junya Ishigami (born 1974) sees his architectural masterworks as landscapes in and of themselves rather than mere accessories to the land. At the heart of his design ethic are several guiding concepts: lightness, transparency, simplicity and communion with nature. This publication delves into the extraordinary exhibition staged by Ishigami at the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain in 2018. The first large-scale solo show devoted to an architect at the Fondation Cartier, Freeing Architecture is a dreamlike collection of large-format models, sketches and photographs that highlight the freedom and fluidity inherent in Ishigami’s designs and his specific consideration of the museum space. This publication traces the development of the exhibition with photographs and illustrations printed full bleed on every page, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the delicate beauty of nature and architecture existing in perfect harmony.