Project Specs Tiffany Ginza Tokyo, Japan Kengo Kuma & Associates << Return to article the People Architect Kengo Kuma & Associates 2-24-8 Minamiaoyama Minato-ku Tokyo, 107-0062 Japan TEL: 81-3-3401-7721 FAX: 81-3-3401-7778 Engineer: Oak Structural Design Office Consultant(s) Lighting: Uchihara Creative Lighting Inc. General contractor: Taisei Corporation / Mitsukoshi Kankyo Engineering Photographer Masao Nishikawa 81-42-343-5861 Renderer(s): Kengo Kuma & Associates, NAU Architecture Design Studio CAD system, project management, or other software used: Vector Works, AUTO CAD, 3D MAX, Tomonaga Tokuyama (designer who developed new software for this project)   the Products Exterior cladding Masonry: Nagano Stone, Co., LTD. Metal/glass curtainwall: Glass

Project Specs Inujima Art Project Inujima, Japan Sambuichi Architects << Return to article the People Architect Sambuichi Architects 8-3-302 Nakajima-cho Naka-ku Hiroshima 730-0811 Japan T : +81(0)82 544-1417 F : +81(0)82 544-1418 samb@d2.dion.ne.jp Engineer(s): Arup Japan General contractor: Omoto Gumi Co.,Ltd   the Products Structural system Art work: Yukinori Yanagi Plant advisor: Faculty of Environmental Science and Technology Okayama University Drainage: Faculty of Bioresource Sciences Akita Prefectural University, Kubota Hygiene: Sanyo Giken Ltd. Electricity: ASAHIDENGYO Co,.Ltd. Environmental observation / Chimney monitor system: Keisoku Research Consultant CO. Purify tank: Asahi Engineering Co,. Ltd. Stone works: NAKASEKI CO., LTD Wood made door

An isolated island amid many that dot the Seto Inland Sea, Inujima once helped fuel Japan’s early industrialization.

Storm Clouds Gather In Most Parts of Country Architects are feeling the chill of an economic recession and the effects of the U.S. subprime crisis. Despite an estimated 2.2 percent drop in GDP in 2008, a decrease in housing starts, and a reluctance on the part of banks to lend, design firms large and small are hoping to wait out the storm. Due to its dependence on foreign financing, speculative housing has been particularly hard hit, falling 5.8 percent in December from the year before. As a result, developers are going bankrupt and projects are dying. Image courtesy PAE Design

Milan-based architect Matteo Thun strives to “respect the soul of a place.”