Japanese Architecture as a Collaborative Process:
Opportunities in a Flexible Construction Culture

By Dana Buntrock

25 April 2002 |

Japan is world renowned for its innovative and carefully crafted architecture. Dana Buntrock, an assistant professor in the College of Environmental Design, says the “the best buildings built anywhere are built in Japan.” The reason, she says, is the collaborative process among Japanese architects and the construction community. Unlike in the U.S., where architects tend to be isolated, Japanese architects work closely with contractors, craftspeople, fabricators and suppliers — a process that encourages sophisticated approaches to building design. Japanese architects working abroad do not reach the same heights of excellence, Buntrock writes, because the cultural context fostering collaboration among the construction trades is absent. This book discusses the Japanese design and building process, including the role played by the Japanese government and legal system.

Spon Press, 2001
182 pages