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Congratulations/60th birthday! Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the opening of the music hall “The appeal of the music hall as heard by Terunobu Fujimori”

祝・還暦!音楽堂開館60周年記念「藤森照信氏に聞く音楽堂の魅力」

Interview/text/photo: Masamasa Nishino

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Kanagawa Prefectural Concert Hall, which was established as Japan's first public music hall after the war.

The design by Kunio Maekawa attracted not only citizens but also many architects, and the characteristic "wooden hall" that used a lot of wood was praised as "the best sound in the East" at the time of its opening, and its sound became famous not only in Japan but also in Japan. It has also received high praise from overseas.

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Concert Hall, Magcal spoke to Terunobu Fujimori, an architectural historian and architect, about the wonders of the Kanagawa Prefectural Concert Hall, for those who have not yet visited the Concert Hall.

Photo left: Exterior of the music hall at the time of opening ©Maekawa Design Office Photo right: Current Kanagawa Prefectural Music Hall ©Satoshi Aoyagi

Photo left: Exterior of the music hall at the time of opening ©Maekawa Design Office

Photo right: Current Kanagawa Prefectural Music Hall ©Satoshi Aoyagi

What is Kanagawa Prefectural Music Hall?

- Mr. Fujimori has often appeared on the "Concert Hall Architectural Tour" hosted by the Kanagawa Prefectural Concert Hall, but for those who have not yet visited the Concert Hall, could you please tell us more about the Concert Hall? Is it okay?

The Kanagawa Prefectural Music Hall was an early example of post-war architecture, and until the construction of the Kanagawa Prefectural Music Hall, there was no public facility dedicated to music in Japan.

Of course, there was a private hall built by Yorisada Tokugawa , but up until then it was a theater-like venue where music, speeches, and meetings were all held.

However, music has the problem of "resonance", so it must be separated from general theater. Because of this problem, it was common practice overseas to separate facilities by genre, such as opera or theater, but the then governor of Kanagawa Prefecture came up with the idea to build a facility exclusively for music in Japan. is.

The governor was also enthusiastic about building cultural facilities such as the Kamakura Museum of Modern Art, which was the largest in terms of society.

By the way, the person who designed the music hall was Kunio Maekawa, who was a leading figure in post-war public architecture such as the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo and the Tokio Marine & Nichido Building in Marunouchi.

One of Mr. Maekawa's masterpieces in the early postwar period was Kanagawa Prefectural Music Hall.

Scenes from the ``Architectural Tour Special Edition'' held in November.

Scenes from the ``Architectural Tour Special Edition'' held in November. The Kanagawa Prefectural Music Hall holds an "architectural tour" every year.
The event will not only include lectures, but also a variety of experiences such as tours of places not normally seen and mini-concerts. Photo: ©Satoshi Aoyagi

Kunio Maekawa's ideas for human scale

- We just talked about the architect Kunio Maekawa, but what are the characteristics of Maekawa's architecture in the music hall?

As for the architectural features, first of all, the layout and floor plan are very well planned.
When you go up Momijizaka and head towards the building, you will see the library on your left and the music hall in front.
I think the way the building suddenly appears after going up Momijizaka is done very well.
Therefore, the conductors are well separated on the back side of the building, and Mr. Maekawa is known for being really good at handling such things.

In terms of its relationship to the library, the music hall is lined up a little apart from the library, and there is space between the buildings.

The removed space is connected by a hallway above, and Maekawa-san is very good at creating things like this. (*Currently the corridor is not passable)

Also, when people visit, it is not built to look intimidating like a bank or a temple, but instead has the characteristic of welcoming visitors in a gentle manner. I think I could stand up a little bit more (lol).

Before the war, public buildings had an image of towering buildings. However, he was an architect who seriously thought about civil society, so I think he valued an image that was more accepting of people.

Photo left: Corridor connecting the library and music hall ©MAGCUL Photo right: Main entrance using pilotis ©Satoshi Aoyagi

Photo left: Corridor connecting the library and music hall ©MAGCUL
Photo right: Main entrance using pilotis ©Satoshi Aoyagi

- I wonder if the "post-war" mindset had a big impact on Kunio Maekawa's design image.

I think it was very true.
The characteristics of prewar public buildings are that they often look like towering buildings.
The same goes for all the pre-war museums in Tokyo. After all, it is representative of the same method of construction as the temple.
Mr. Maekawa didn't do that, instead he used pillars to create large pilotis, but the way they were made to slide in between the pillars was a post-war style.

Of course, Maekawa-san did not come up with the pilotis, but Maekawa's teacher , Le Corbusier , used the method, but he uses that method well to create a production that you can easily get into. Also, as you enter the building, you will notice that there is a large space called the foyer in the music hall.

That foyer is my favorite. As for the exterior, I think Kenzo Tange 's architecture is more impressive (lol).

By the way, Mr. Maekawa and Mr. Tange have a teacher-pupil relationship, and although Mr. Maekawa is his teacher, they are also rivals as architects, and the Ongakudo building was also chosen after beating Mr. Tange in a competition.

However, if you move on to the middle hole, it's clear that they made it better than Mr. Tange. The holes made by Mr. Tange have a strong exterior and are nice.
When you step inside, it seems like it's too powerful for a hall.

However, this is not the case with Mr. Maekawa's architecture; his architecture is built to suit human dimensions and sensibilities, known as the ``human scale.''

I also thought that he was very good at planning, as he made good use of the space under the floor of the music hall, and when you look at the ceiling of the second floor terrace, you can see that it is uneven like a staircase.

That's the audience seating above. When you go up the stairs to the second floor, there is a ceiling on one side that uses the area under the seats, and on the other side, the glass rises up and lets in light from the courtyard.

You're really good at using that space.

Photo left: Spacious first floor foyer. It can be seen that the ceiling is below the audience seats. ©Satoshi Aoyagi Photo right: Outside light streams in through the large windows, and the greenery in the courtyard neutralizes the coldness of the concrete. ©MAGCUL

Photo left: Spacious first floor foyer. It can be seen that the ceiling is below the audience seats. ©Satoshi Aoyagi

Photo on the right: Outside light streams in through the large windows, and the greenery in the courtyard neutralizes the coldness of the concrete. ©MAGCUL

- It's true that when you're standing there, you don't feel like you're standing under the audience seats.

That's right. The reason why it doesn't bother me is because the ceiling expands towards the courtyard, letting in light.

Without that use, I don't think I would have felt as if I was enveloped in the space.

Also, he uses exposed concrete, but exposed concrete was initially thought to be used in places like warehouses and basements, and when it was first developed, the method of using it for exteriors was disliked. It was. The first person to use it was a French architect named Auguste Perret , and although Mr. Maekawa had learned the technique at Le Corbusier before returning home, he did not initially use it in his own work. think.

It started to be used after the war, but since it was finished with exposed concrete, it gave a slightly rough impression. Not very gentle on human skin. However, although the finish is not gentle, the scale of the building is comparable to that of a music hall, allowing light to enter the building, and the surrounding greenery makes it stand out.

Thanks to that courtyard, the coldness of the exposed concrete in the foyer is considerably reduced, giving it a very human texture.

Please also take a look at the pillars in the foyer of the music hall. The pillars are made in an oval shape rather than straight, but this was done to make the pillars look as thin and thin as possible.

I think the space would have been really strong if it weren't for that, but with that ingenuity, the strength of the pillars has been effectively eliminated, and we've also used terracotta blocks for the exterior walls to keep the strength of the concrete as low as possible. I think that the small details have been put in place everywhere.

Photo left: A pillar made in an oval shape to make it look thinner. Because it was poured into a wooden formwork, traces of the wood grain remain. ©MAGCUL Photo right: Terracatta perforated block used for the exterior wall ©MAGCUL

Photo left: A pillar made in an oval shape to make it look thinner. Because it was poured into a wooden formwork, traces of the wood grain remain. ©MAGCUL

Photo right: Terracatta perforated block used for the exterior wall ©MAGCUL

Thoughtful materials and craftsmanship

- We've heard about the exterior and the technical splendor that's been placed throughout, but one of the hallmarks of the music hall is the ``wooden hall.''

First of all, wood has a good resonance. This is a common understanding around the world, but to put it simply, it's like the entire hall is inside the violin, just like a violin is made of wood. And it's warm.

Also, Japan has overwhelmingly superior wood, so there is no reason not to use it, so I can say that the selection of materials has been successful in that respect.

By the way, theaters in Europe at the time did not always use wood; they also used various other materials such as plaster and stone.

Therefore, it may be very rare to find a hall that uses wood throughout the hall like a music hall.

Photo left: The interior of the hall, where wood is used to the maximum extent possible. Visually, you can feel the warmth of wood. ©Satoshi Aoyagi

Photo left: The interior of the hall, where wood is used to the maximum extent possible. Visually, you can feel the warmth of wood. ©Satoshi Aoyagi

- I see. However, in the post-war situation, is it possible that the selection was made for economic reasons such as cost?

I think that's certainly the case. However, I don't think there would have been any other materials that could have been used if wood had not been used for that hole.

Nowadays, there are many other materials that can be used, but I think the idea of softening the atmosphere of the building is the combination of exposed surfaces and wood, and even in exposed structures, it is customary in Japan to use wood in areas that are touched by people. It's a feature of architecture.

By the way, all exposed buildings in Europe used concrete, but Antonin Raymond was the one who incorporated wood into it. This may be why Mr. Maekawa often uses a combination of wood and wood.

- Mr. Fujimori said earlier that he likes the creation of the foyer the most, but which part of the foyer is his favorite?

After all, it's the finish of that floor. That terrazzo floor is absolutely stunning.

- It's true that that floor was shown being finished in the recorded video that was shown at the concert hall building tour, and I was very surprised by the delicate finish that made it hard to believe that it was all handmade by craftsmen. .

Back then, it wasn't that expensive to hire a craftsman. Those are good times (lol).

Nowadays, there are fewer craftsmen who can do that kind of finish, so I think it's more expensive than finishing the entire floor with titanium.

The polishing is done by mixing quite large stones, but it's all done by hand. It's a great finish.

Photo left: Terrazzo-finished floor that still retains its shine. ©MAGCUL Photo right: Craftsmen finishing terrazzo by hand. ©Taisei Kensetsu Co., Ltd. Yokohama Branch

Photo left: Terrazzo-finished floor that still retains its shine. ©MAGCUL

Right photo: A craftsman is finishing terrazzo by hand. ©Taisei Kensetsu Co., Ltd. Yokohama Branch

- It is a difficult problem that there are no craftsmen even though technology is advanced. Come to think of it, it's hard to imagine now that all the concrete in the entire building was mixed by hand.

I agree. But the reason why I knead it by hand is that it becomes harder when I knead it by hand.

At that time, the method of inspection was really interesting, and all you had to do was crack the concrete you made, and assimilate the stones inside and it would be OK.

Modern concrete doesn't crack like that.

-Are there any buildings that dare to use hand-crafted materials these days?

Not really. There are labor costs and the weight of concrete, but it is too hard to be used in today's mixer trucks.

Pour it all by hand, which is ideal in terms of waterproofness and durability, but it takes time and effort that would be unimaginable today.

(*Currently, one mixer truck is equivalent to 50 manual wheelbarrows, and one floor requires concrete equivalent to 100 mixer trucks.)

Concrete is being transported manually. All the pouring work is also done by hand. ©Taisei Kensetsu Co., Ltd. Yokohama Branch

Concrete is being transported manually. All the pouring work is also done by hand. ©Taisei Kensetsu Co., Ltd. Yokohama Branch

The importance of preserving historical buildings

- Once there was a crisis of rebuilding the Kanagawa Prefectural Concert Hall, but at that time Mr. Fujimori issued a statement against the rebuilding.

Since I'm a historian, I had a basic idea that I wanted to preserve old things.

At that time, many architects may have believed that old things should be destroyed.

However, I think that around the time when the idea of rebuilding the music hall came up, the awareness that ``historical buildings should be preserved'' began to spread among architects.

- I think there were many opinions for and against that. I think there are benefits to both opinions, but what do you think about the importance of preserving historic buildings like this, not just the music hall?

If you want to make a music hall today, you can do it using the same techniques. However, that building has been standing for decades, and I think there are many people who have visited it, including people who have come here with their lovers, and people whose parents brought them here when they were children, but it has been a long time since I last visited. People who come to see it are sure to be impressed.

When people visit historic buildings, they feel a deep sense of nostalgia.

For example, when you go to the elementary school you used to attend, you feel very nostalgic. This feeling of ``nostalgia'' is an emotion unique to humans.

Not found in other animals. For example, you would be surprised if your dog looked at the doghouse he used to live in and was filled with emotion (lol).

Human emotions such as joy, anger, sadness, and sadness are not necessary if we are just to survive. But when you think about why only humans feel a sense of nostalgia, it's probably because there is a connection between your past self and your present self.

People who have spent a long time in a certain place or have visited it as a child can remember their past selves by visiting that place.

How do we prove that the person we see in front of us is the same as the person we see when we wake up in the morning? This is because the view we see when we wake up in the morning is the same as the view we see now.

I would really hate it if I woke up in the morning and saw a completely different scenery in front of me. In other words, what humans see with their eyes and what they remember in their brains are integrated, and their sense of continuity in time is very vague.

Kafka wrote ``Metamorphosis'' with this anxiety as the theme, and by visually confirming one's temporal identity, old buildings make one feel, ``I have lived for 60 years.'' So...that's why it's so touching.

In particular, public buildings should not be destroyed right away just because they are slightly broken. Europe respects such things very much, and there is no way they would destroy public buildings there.

- It's true that compared to Japan, overseas there are many old public buildings such as opera houses that remain.

There is no famous opera house that is less than 100 years old, and for Europeans, public buildings serve as vessels for the memories of the people who live there.

For example, towns that were destroyed in war will be rebuilt to their original condition. Frankfurt still has the same streetscape as in old photos, but there are no buildings that have been designated as cultural properties.

This is because the town was recreated using photographs as a reference to a town that collapsed during the Great War.

I think this is because they understand that architecture is the temporal identity of the city and the people who live there, and it serves as proof that their culture continues. However, in Japan, there are many cultural customs that have continued for a long time, but when it comes to architecture, I feel that awareness of this is a little weak.

- Today we were able to hear a lot about the wonders of music halls and the importance of preserving public buildings.

Lastly, I have a slightly off-topic question, but if Mr. Fujimori were to design a music hall by himself, do you have any plans for how you would like a hall like this to be?

Yeah. Music halls are designed so that the audience seats sink toward the stage.

So I think it would be interesting if there was a hall where you could go underground from above ground and sit in the audience seats. It's hard to go home though (lol).

- That's pretty epic (lol). Thank you very much today!

*Kanagawa Prefectural Concert Hall is featured in CASA BRUTAS No. 178 "Complete List of Masterpiece Modernist Architecture that Japan is Proud of" ! It's currently available at bookstores, so be sure to check it out!

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