Toyo Ito is one of the world's most innovative and influential architects

Toyo Ito, Architect - Background:
Born in Japan in 1941, Toyo Ito graduated from Tokyo University,
Department of Architecture in 1965.

Toyo Ito started his own architecture studio, 'urban robot' (urbot) in Tokyo, 1971; it became Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects in 1979.

Ito has served as guest professor at Columbia University and is an honorary professor at the University of North London. Toyo Ito is one of the world's most innovative and influential architects.

Recent Toyo Ito Building:
Taichung Metropolitan
Opera House architecture competition, won by Toyo Ito Architects

Architecture News:
Toyo Ito - Winner of RIBA Gold Medal 2006

VivoCity - shopping mall, Singapore
2007

Toyo Ito - Key Projects:
Sendai Mediatheque
Miyagi-Sendai, Japan 1995-2001
Architecture Competition
Multi-purpose cultural centre made with steel tubular lattice structures. The building appears light by day, and also at night when the structure glows artifically from within. The Sendai Mediatheque contains a library, art gallery, audio-visual library, film studio, and cafe.
Michael Webb in AR 1256 states "Ito thought of the enclosed space as liquid, likened the columns to strands of seaweed drifting through an aquarium....a concept that was as audacious as the Pompidou Centre".

Tower of Winds
Yokohama, Japan 1986

Key Current Toyo Ito Project:
Taichung Metropolitan Opera House

Toyo Ito - Other buildings (chronological):
Library, Green Avenue, Tokyo, Japan 2007
Crematorium, Kakamigahara, Japan 2007
TOD, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan 2004
House in Sakurajosui, Japan 1997-2000
Ota-ku Resort Complex, Chisagata-gun, Japan 1995-98
Hall in Odate, Odate Jukai Dome Park - Odate Sports Dome, Japan 1997
Oita Agricultural Park, Hayami-gun, Japan 1997
Library, Paris 1992
Silver Hut house, Tokyo, Japan 1984
House, Kasama, Japan 1980-81
White U house, Japan 1976

PMT Building, Nagoya, Japan -
Yatsushiro Municipal Museum, Japan -
Grin Grin, Island city Central Park, Fukouka, Japan -
Meiso no Mori – funeral hall, Gifu, Japan -



Toyo Ito - UK Project

Toyo Ito plans for Glasgow Selfridges store: revised following Selfridges' Jul 2003 takeover.

Toyo Ito Architects have not been able to release proposals despite requests: further details will be posted upon receipt.

Toyo Ito is one of the world's most revered architects and along with Zaha Hadid, David Chipperfield, Richard Rogers and Norman Foster, would clearly bring yet more attention to Glasgow Architecture (ref. Future Systems Selfridges Store in Birmingham). Selfridges Scotland would be the group's fifth UK store.

News excerpt from Mar 2003 re Toyo Ito Associates - Selfridges Proposal:

Toyo Ito: Selfridges Store
Toyo Ito & Associates to design Selfridges
Department store Selfridges is close to appointing signature architect Toyo Ito to design its £90m Glasgow store.
Selfridges has already appointed the Building Design Partnership, whose Glasgow office will help Toyo Ito Associates in designing the store. Planning permission expected by the end of 2003.

Toyo Ito Architecture - UK:
The only Toyo Ito building created in the UK was the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion: annual temporary exhibition, built next to the Serpentine Gallery, London - Toyo Ito & Associates Architects & Cecil Balmond with Arup, Jul-Sep 2002.

A truly radical design, like a Wyndham Lewis painting with its angular asymmetric patterns of solid and void.

Toyo Ito Architecture: Glasgow Selfridges
Selfridges Glasgow bosses confirmed it was desperately looking for a site in the city centre
Sep 02

Toyo Ito: Library, Paris



Buildings / photos for the Toyo Ito Architecture page welcome:
info@e-architect.co.uk

World Architecture : e-architect - a guide to key buildings across the globe

Toyo Ito buildings - page : adrian welch / isabelle lomholt

Toyo Ito Architects - Website: www.toyo-ito.co.jp