Tomomi Ishiyama's Debut Feature Documentary, From a Unique Background

Last year's Venice Architecture Biennale featured Tomomi Ishiyama's 'Inside Architecture - A Challenge to Japanese society,' which garnered significant attention. Now, with newly added footage, it is being released in theaters as 'Architecture of the Unknown.'

Director Ishiyama graduated from the Department of Housing, Faculty of Home Economics at Japan Women's University, and later completed her Master's degree in Urban Design at the City University of New York. During her time in the US, a lecture on 'Cities and Film' by Joan Copjec sparked her interest in filmmaking. Upon returning to Japan, she apprenticed under director Isao Okishima, appearing in his film 'Saigyo the Angry' (2009), among other unique experiences.

For Director Ishiyama, this marks her first feature-length documentary. Rather than revering the mythical anecdotes of architectural giants, the film poses questions about the very relevance of architects in today's society.

30 Years Since the Legendary Conference. Their Dreams and Setbacks, Now Revealed.

Charlottesville, USA, 1982. A legendary international conference, the 'P3 Conference,' brought together the world's leading architects to discuss the future of architecture. Japan was represented by Arata Isozaki, accompanied by two young, then-unknown architects who would later become globally renowned: Tadao Ando and Toyo Ito.

Thirty years later, these architects speak for the first time about that period. The untold story of Japanese architecture unfolds through a tapestry of testimonies, exploring their dreams and struggles in a highly capitalist society. The interviews also revisit the merits and demerits of the bubble economy and question the ideal form of public architecture.

What dreams did architects hold, how did they engage with society, and what did they create in Japan from the era of high economic growth to the present? This film, composed of interviews with these masters, unravels a history of architecture unknown to us and prompts reflection on the future of architecture.



Architecture of the Unknown
Opens May 23rd (Saturday) at Theatre Image Forum and other cinemas nationwide.
Director | Tomomi Ishiyama
Featuring | Tadao Ando, Arata Isozaki, Toyo Ito, Rem Koolhaas, Peter Eisenman, Charles Jencks
Distributor | P(h)ony Pictures
2015 / Japan / 73 min / Original Title: 'Inside Architecture - A Challenge to Japanese Society'
http://ia-document.com


© Tomomi Ishiyama