Beyond Utopia Japanese Metabolism Architecture and the Birth of Mythopia

Megastructure proposals by the Japanese Metabolism group are commonly identified with the concept of utopia. Beyond this partial understanding,Agnes Nyilassuggests that rather than being merely utopian, the Megastructure of Metabolism represents a uniquely amalgam genre: the myth camouflaged as utopia. Althoughits Megastructure seemingly describes a desirable future condition as utopia does, it also comprises certain cultural images rooted in the collective (un)conscious of Japanese people, in accordance with the general interpretation of myth. The primary narrative ofBeyond Utopiathus follows the gradual unfolding of the myth-like characteristics ofits Megastructure. Myth is dealt here as an interdisciplinary subject in line with contemporary myth theories. After expounding the mechanism underlying the growing demand for a new myth in architecture (the origin of the myth), Part Idiscovers the formal characteristics of the Megastructure of Metabolism to give a hintof the real intention behind it. Based on this, PartII is a reexamination of their design methods, which aims to clarify the function of the myth and to suggest the meaning behind it. Finally, PartIII deals with the subject matter of the myth by disclosing the meaning unfolding inthe story, and suggests a new reading of Metabolism urban theory: as an attempt to reconsider the traditional Japanese space concept.

Table of Contents AcknowledgementForewordAuthor's PrefaceINTRODUCTION: The origin of the myth - THE AGONY OF MODERN ARCHITECTUREPART ONE: THE UTOPIA OF MEGASTRUCTURE (The myth camouflaged)Megastructure Proposals by Kiyonori KikutakeMegastructure Proposals by Kenzo TangePART TWO: The Function of the myth – CITY AS ‘LIVING SYSTEM’Introduction to Part TwoProperties of ‘Living systems’ in Kikutake’s and Tange’s MegastructuresProperties of ‘Living systems’ in Kurokawa's MegastructuresProperties of ‘Living systems’ in Kawazoe's discoursePART THREE: The Subject Matter of the myth – CREATIVE TRADITION"Overcoming Modernity"The "tradition debate" in ArchitectureTraditional Japanese conception of urban spaceDENOUEMENTAppendixPostscript

Agnes Nyilaswas an Assistant Professor at Sugiyama Jogakuen University in Japan. She received a combined BArch + MArch degree in architecture from Technical University of Budapest, Hungaryand a PhD in architecture from Nagoya University, Japan. Her research interests ranged from architectural design practice to the history and theory of architecture and urban design, with a special focus on modern and contemporary design theories.