The Royal Academy annual architecture lecture is an event the wholearchitectural community awaits with much anticipation. With previousnames like Rem Koolhaas {1997}, Peter Zumthor {2006} and ElizabethDiller {2007} the lecture has, since its creation in 1991, become oneof the capital’s biggest architectural events of the year. The chosenman for this year’s sold-out lecture was the Japanese architect KengoKuma, flown in from Tokyo especially.

Taking the audience through a number of his landmark works, from theLotus House, to the Bamboo Wall, and from the Louis Vuitton Tokyo HQ,to his ongoing work in France, the Tokyo-based architect talked abouthis favourite projects and materials, underlining his preference forlocal materials. He also shared some of his secrets – for example, howhe manages to create transparency while using stone. And without givingtoo much away, he spoke about his current ‘top secret’ projects, amongthem, a new use for bamboo he is working on.

Speaking of his own philosophy Kuma described his love for ‘weakbuildings’, his admiration for Bruno Taut’s work and his agreement withTaut’s description of Japanese architecture as ‘architecture ofrelationships.’ He revealed his belief that the fine details ofarchitecture are not only to be discovered through big, landmark civicbuildings. ‘For me small projects are very important,’ he explained,while showing his smaller works, like the Frankfurt inflatable TeaRoom: ‘they allow me more time to study everything in much moredetail’.

However, most of all, the architect stressed his love for nature, andthe physical aspects of building and construction, and also hisadmiration towards landscape design. ‘I would like to use nature asmuch as I can,’ concluded Kuma, ‘and I would like to have the chance tokeep studying nature too, as much as possible’.

An exhibition of Kengo Kuma’s work, Nature and Architecture,will be on at the Architecture Space at the Royal Academy until 12thAugust 2008.