Kengo Kuma on Ryuichi Sakamoto, Brian Eno and the Soundtrack to His Architecture
In a recent interview with designboom listens, Kengo Kuma, the renowned Japanese architect, elaborates on the significant influence of music in shaping his architectural vision. He cites Ryuichi Sakamoto's 'andata' from async as emblematic of his work. A close friend of Sakamoto, Kuma commends him for connecting Eastern and Western cultures. He draws inspiration from Mulatu Astatke's 'Yèkèrmo Sèw' for his projects, while Yumi Arai's 'Hikōki-gumo' brings back memories of his childhood in Japan. Sakamoto’s 'Bibo no Aozora' frequently occupies his mind, and Herbie Hancock's 'Chameleon' invigorates his creative sessions. For overcoming creative hurdles, he listens to Cecil Taylor's 'Steps.' Abdullah Ibrahim's 'Bra Joe from Kilimanjaro' resonates with his experiences in Africa, and Brian Eno's '1/1' shapes his architectural philosophy. Recently, he has been inspired by Sakamoto's '20220302 – sarabande.'
Key facts
- Kengo Kuma named Ryuichi Sakamoto's 'andata' from async as the song best capturing his creative practice
- Kuma described Sakamoto, a personal friend, as creating a new image of the Asian artist across East and West
- Mulatu Astatke's 'Yèkèrmo Sèw (Homeless Wanderer)' is Kuma's track for starting new projects
- Kuma said Brian Eno's '1/1' taught him music can create an environment rather than exist within one
- Cecil Taylor's 'Steps' from Unit Structures reminds Kuma that rules must sometimes be destroyed
- Abdullah Ibrahim's 'Bra Joe from Kilimanjaro' evokes Kuma's travels in Africa
- Kuma chose Sakamoto's '20220302 – sarabande' from 12 as the ideal headphones track for his latest work
- Beethoven's Symphony No. 7, II. Allegretto, recorded by the NHK Symphony Orchestra, best describes a favorite project
Entities
Artists
- Kengo Kuma
- Ryuichi Sakamoto
- Brian Eno
- Cecil Taylor
- Beethoven
- Mulatu Astatke
- Yumi Arai
- Herbie Hancock
- Abdullah Ibrahim
Institutions
- designboom
- NHK Symphony Orchestra
- Kengo Kuma & Associates
- Taisei Corporation
- Azusa Sekkei
- Spotify
Locations
- Japan
- Africa
- Tokyo
- China