Shohei Shigematsu on Architecture, Globalization, and Cultural Identity

Shohei Shigematsu, partner at OMA and director of its New York office, discusses his bicultural background, evolving practice, and views on architecture's future. Born in Japan and educated in the US, he moved to Europe for postgraduate study, joining OMA in the 1990s. He established OMA New York in 2006, building an independent office culture. His projects span cultural institutions (Milstein Hall at Cornell, Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, Faena Forum in Miami Beach, Audrey Irmas Pavilion in Los Angeles, Buffalo AKG Art Museum), retail (Sotheby's New York headquarters), and fashion collaborations (Dior, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Coach). Shigematsu emphasizes observation over manifesto, adapting architecture to shifting cultural behaviors. He advocates for specificity—each project emerging from its own conditions—and embraces working with existing buildings for their authenticity. He sees museums evolving into social hubs and fashion as a platform for immersive storytelling. On cultural identity, he describes himself as a "refugee of globalization," now feeling responsibility to bridge Japanese and Western perspectives. He critiques Japanese architecture's struggle to move beyond modernism and hopes to develop a nuanced, non-literal language. He believes architecture must engage multiple speeds—fast and slow—and is curious how younger generations might redefine cities. The interview was published by Whitewall.