The 5-year (10 terms) Joint Studio “The Culture of Water” began jointly with Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) in autumn 2018. The main target of the whole project is to search for the new definition of Architecture. In order to make it clear, we continue thinking about the relationship between water and architecture, as a reflection to the relationship between nature and the artificial. To research more precisely, we focus on 2 lakes with different backgrounds – Lake Biwa in Japan and Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. Each semester different sites around the 2 lakes will be researched with a specific topic. Then an architectural design will be developed based on the research. In 5 years, with the results of research and design with varying topics, we may land some hints to the search for the definition of Architecture.

Last semester we shifted our focus to the definition of beauty in Architecture, with the topic “Water and Beauty”. At first sight, the 8 chosen strips at the edges of Lake Lucerne are difficult, unattractive, maybe even ugly. Contrasts, breaks and cracks disturb the senses. The sites are untypical for the landscape of Lake Lucerne, which is generally regarded as beautiful.

To discover and make visible the hidden beauty of selected strips, we formulated the following questions:
– What is the essence of the place?
– What is the potential of the place?
– What is beautiful in the place?
To find out the answer to those questions, participants have to create their own definition of beauty, and then think about Architecture based on that definition.

All the works here are the results to the quest for beauty. What we expected in this exhibition is the possibility of new architecture, when our perspective on the world is renewed as we break away from the conventional beauty and discover a new form of beauty. And please be aware the exhibition is the result of all participants’ efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last semester the joint studio was held entirely online, with all the participants at home because of the COVID-19. It brought not only frustrations, but new discoveries as well. One of the frustrations is that we were not able to meet and communicate directly, which made me realize how much more information than words could be obtained through face-to-face communication. However, on the other hand, it turns out that all relationships are flat because of online. The imbalance from the differences existing in the studio, such as different positions, languages, or individual backgrounds, etc., that sometimes disturbs communication, has disappeared. And the relationship that leads to this flatness is very refreshing and I believe that many ideas were born from from such circumstance.

Another frustration was that we were not able to visit the real site. It was fatal as the relationship to the site is such an important fact in Architecture, and especially for this joint studio whose mission is to compare the differences between the 2 lakes. However, we were able to overcome it finally. Because the subject of our thought is architecture, which was proved to be a profound subject, capable for both physical and metaphysical thinking.

We hope this exhibition offers a glimpse into the possibilities of Architecture overcoming the present. (Masahiro Kinoshita)