5 Questions with Tadao Ando

Tadao Ando

Singapore Tatler: Capella Niseko, which you recently designed, is centred around the concept of a circle. Why is the circle important for you?

Tadao Ando: Architecture is a human creation, but its origin lies in geometric shapes. I want to use geometric shapes that everybody can use, but which only I can build.

ST: You’re conducting a seminar at the National University of Singapore (NUS) – what message would you like to convey to aspiring Singaporean designers?

TA: I’m not (in this region) only for the seminar; the main purpose of my visit to South East Asia was actually to go to Jakarta, where I am involved in an art museum project. Since I was in the area, this NUS lecture, “Asia on the Move”, came about.

Wherever I go, be it the US, Mexico, France, Italy, Germany, South Korea, China or Taiwan, I always try to find some time for dialogue with students. I try to have a fun discussion with them. Young people will be shouldering the burden of working for the next generation, so it is imperative for us to constantly engage them.

ST: You’re quite a big name in the industry, how do you go about accepting a project?

TA: Society in general has changed tremendously since my student days, when the global population was 3 billion. Now it’s 7 billion, and growing steadily to 9 billion. For the human race to survive, going forward, being an architect, I must built architecture that ensures that resources, energy and food are sustainable.

I didn’t have any specialised education in architecture, and I didn’t go to university, but I can say for sure that I think a lot before I undertake any projects. Nowadays, my designs may be different from those in the past, but my concepts and thinking behind any project have not changed much.

ST: How does the surrounding environment affect your work?

TA: I am currently working on an opera house in Shanghai, which is supposed to open this year. In a neighbouring city, I was asked to build another opera house last August. I told the potential client that I was already involved in an opera house project in Shanghai.

I told him, “There are so many opera houses, where are the opera singers going to come from?” I was concerned for that. You need a lot of resources and energy to build opera houses (laughs). 

Thirty years ago, I learned that we have to minimise the expenditure of energy in architecture. People laughed at me, but I have been trying to build zero-energy houses using nature – wind, flow of the air, sunlight as well as creativity.

Sharing a funny moment

ST: Have you ever considered branching out of architecture into, let's say...magazine design?

TA: Last September, I was featured in GQ magazine, China. They had asked me to wear Louis Vuitton attire from top to bottom, but I refused, so they reluctantly shot me as I was. But when the magazine was published, I was wearing LV from top to bottom in the picture! They had used computer graphics to add the clothing onto me; that’s the kind of thing they do in China! They eventually called and apologised.

In December, American Vogue shot me, and I told them I wouldn't change into another outfit. I would think that American Vogue would put me as it is. So I hope your local magazines will not change my outfit either.