Katsura Imperial Villa and Sukiya Style Architecture as an Inspiration

I often think about the Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto. Its a magnificent place to visit- and even though I was there over 25 years ago, the experience remains fresh and powerful for me. It's rarely far from my mind when working on a new design, as both an inspiration and a challenge. I was affected by the place on many levels, particularly by the way interior and exterior space complete and complement one another to a level rarely seen elsewhere. I also became fascinated with the design of the buildings in the compound. I experienced a balance of opposites that results in sublimely beautiful Architecture. The fact that the buildings are designed with an almost obsessive adherence to abstract principles of proportion can be easily grasped. The rigor of the geometry appears to rival the most self-conscious of Western "Classical" monuments. Yet the use of raw materials and textures appropriated directly from nature is just as important to the overall aesthetic as the underlying geometries. While not an expert in the Japanese concept of "Wabi", Katsura appears to be an excellent illustration. It balances the tension between mathematical perfection and natural imperfection in a way that is inspiring and beautiful.


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