Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, founder of Sou Fujimoto Architects, will be WAC's new guest architect in WAC's Live Interview Series. 

Fujimoto, known with his project L’Arbre Blanc (White Tree) in Montpellier, France completed in 2019, will talk about his performative architecture which takes people movement and nature into the center of design. 

Titled Discovering Performative Architecture of Sou Fujimoto, Fujimoto will discuss the participatory role of architecture to explore how the buildings can act more apart from being a standalone object. 

In the session Fujimoto’s nature-driven philosophy and his creative process will be at the core of the discussion. The discussion will be shaped around the House of Hungarian Music, which is nearing completion in Budapest, and latest work Seaside Haikou Pavilion, by triggering the question of how architecture can be more inclusive.

Sou Fujimoto will be in conversation with WAC's the Netherlands Country Reporter Lola Kleindouwel on Friday, March 5th in WAC's Instagram.

Sou Fujimoto. Image © David Vintiner

Sou Fujimoto established Sou Fujimoto Architects in 2000. The firm has offices in Tokyo and Paris. Born in Hokkaido, Fujimoto, 49, graduated from the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering at Tokyo University in 1994. 

Known with his delicate, permeable structures and human-focused design, Fujimoto designed several houses and in 2013, he was commissioned to design the temporary Serpentine Gallery pavilion in London.

He won the first prize for the 2014 International Competition for the Second Folly of Montpellier, France ("L'Arbre Blanc"). In 2015, 2017 and 2018, he won several international competitions with 1st prize in various European countries. In 2018, he presented an exhibition of "Futures Of The Future" with mesmerizing models at Japan House London. 

In 2019, he was selected as the Master Architect for Tsuda University Kodaira Campus Master Plan development. In 2020, he was selected as the Expo site design producer for the 2025 Japan International Exposition (Osaka/Kansai Expo).

In addition to his Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2013, House NA in 2011, Musashino Art University Museum & Library in 2010, and House N in 2008 are among his notable projects. 

He recently completed mountainous Shiroiya Hotel in Maebashi, Japan, he is also designing the top part of Torch Tower, which is set to become the tallest tower of Japan. 

WAC's live interviews are held as 20-30-minute sessions to deliver a quick glimpse of the current projects of the architect and the office and provide a fast-paced discussion on the architects' design philosophy.

WAC Instagram Live Interview

Theme: Discovering Performative Architecture of Sou Fujimoto

Host: Lola Kleindouwel, the Netherlands Reporter of WAC

Date: Friday, March 5th/ 10:00am (CET) / 09:00am (GMT) / 18:00pm (JST)

Venue: WAC Instagram