2021 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Department of Architecture and Building Engineering Graduate major in Architecture and Building Engineering

Architectural Workshop 1

Academic unit or major: Graduate major in Architecture and Building Engineering
Instructor(s): Yasuhito Fujita / Taishin Shiozaki / Satoshi Nasu
Class Format: Lecture/Exercise
Media-enhanced courses: -
Day of week/Period (Classrooms): Intensive
Class: -
Course Code: ARC.D403
Number of credits: 110
Course offered: 2021
Offered quarter: 3-4Q
Syllabus updated: Jul 10, 2025
Language: English

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

In this course targeted mainly at international students that belong to the IGP program, the objective is to deepen students' understanding of Tokyo and urban architecture by bringing up topics regarding traditional Japanese architecture including temples and shrines, homes, and tea-ceremony rooms, and giving students an overview of the special characteristics of these architectural styles, the backgrounds of their emergence, and their historical meaning, and also by explaining the historical changes of Tokyo as a city. Also, in the latter half of the course, by observing in person and analyzing architecture and the state of cities with regards to modern Tokyo, students will explore methods for understanding modern architecture and modern cities. For international students majoring in architecture and building engineering, a long-term stay in Japan provides the opportunity to learn up-close about Japanese architecture and cities, while also being an ideal opportunity to put the culture of their own country into perspective and deepen their understanding of architecture and cities themselves. Working from this situation that international students are placed in, by first instructing them about fundamental knowledge and perspectives regarding traditional Japanese architecture and the urban history of Tokyo that stretches back to the Edo period, it will be helpful to understanding the Japanese architecture and cities. In addition, by observing and examining today's Tokyo as field work, students are expected to experience firsthand what is happening in modern Tokyo, while learning to comprehend modern architecture and modern cities. The prerequisite for this course is the course Architectural Tour (focuses on deepening understanding of Japanese architecture by visiting existing historical buildings, mainly in Kansai).

Course description and aims

Students are expected to acquire the fundamental grounding and perspective to understand traditional Japanese architecture and modern Japanese architecture and cities through this course. This lecture on Japanese architectural history is considered as preparation for the course "Architectural Tour" in 4Q in which students tour Japanese architecture in person to deepen their understanding of it.

Keywords

History of Japanese Architecture, Urban History, Edo-Tokyo

Competencies

Specialist skills
Intercultural skills
Communication skills
Critical thinking skills
Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

The course is mainly composed of lectures and excursions led by the instructors.

Course schedule/Objectives

	Course schedule	Objectives
Class 1	Guidance	Several Assignments will be given to the participants, as needed.
Class 2	Urban History of Edo-Tokyo	Several Assignments will be given to the participants, as needed.
Class 3	Excursion to historical monuments of Edo-Tokyo	Several Assignments will be given to the participants, as needed.
Class 4	History of Japanese Architecture (Shintoism Shrines 1)	Several Assignments will be given to the participants, as needed.
Class 5	History of Japanese Architecture (Shintoism Shrines 2)	Several Assignments will be given to the participants, as needed.
Class 6	History of Japanese Architecture (Buddhism Temples 1)	Several Assignments will be given to the participants, as needed.
Class 7	History of Japanese Architecture (Buddhism Temples 2)	Several Assignments will be given to the participants, as needed.
Class 8	History of Japanese Architecture (Houses)	Several Assignments will be given to the participants, as needed.
Class 9	History of Japanese Architecture (Tea Houses)	Several Assignments will be given to the participants, as needed.
Class 10	Contemporary Architecture and Urban Conditions of Tokyo 1	Several Assignments will be given to the participants, as needed.
Class 11	Contemporary Architecture and Urban Conditions of Tokyo 2	Several Assignments will be given to the participants, as needed.
Class 12	Contemporary Architecture and Urban Conditions of Tokyo 3	Several Assignments will be given to the participants, as needed.
Class 13	Contemporary Architecture and Urban Conditions of Tokyo 4	Several Assignments will be given to the participants, as needed.
Class 14	Excursion to historical monuments of Edo-Tokyo 2	Several Assignments will be given to the participants, as needed.
Class 15	Conclusion	Several Assignments will be given to the participants, as needed.

Study advice (preparation and review)

To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.

Textbook(s)

Any textbooks are not designated.

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Reference for the lecture will be handed out each time, as needed.

Evaluation methods and criteria

Grading marks is based on the result of assignments during the quarter and additionally the rate of attendance.

Related courses

History of Japanese Architecture
History of Western Architecture
History of Modern Architecture

Prerequisites

Participants are limited to IGP students of the architectural department.

Other

Nothing.