Japanese architect Jo Nagasaka launches new book

The book "Semi-Architecture II – Design Concepts of Japanese Architect Jo Nagasaka" was launched recently at Sinan Literature House.

Nagasaka is among the new generation of Tokyo designers who carry few cultural burdens.

Renowned for his Blue Bottle Coffee Shanghai Yutong Store, Nagasaka attracted many local fans to the event.

Published by the Shanghai People's Fine Arts Publishing House and Tingsong Lab, "Semi-Architecture I" was published three years ago. It was the Chinese editor who proposed the book title of "Semi-Architecture" at that time.

"I was thinking that the title needed to be involved with architecture and furniture at first," Nagasaka said. "Then my Chinese editor gave me the title of Semi-Architecture, which was a critical cognitive renewal for me. In just three Chinese characters, I was able to define my work in a clear and concise way."

Nagasaka has noticed that more people interpreted the term "Semi-Architecture" in the meaning of unfinished.

"There's a big deviation between what other people see in me and what I think I am. Again, I find this cognitive dissonance interesting and worth trying to dig deeper into."

It was because of this that Nagasaka decided to write another book.

"Semi-Architecture II" presents his thoughts on architecture, furniture, and the human environment in a more systematic way. Nagasaka's "sense of freedom" often makes his works appear only half completed.

"In contrast to designing entirely new buildings, most of my design work involves the renovation of old buildings that I often adjust from their former functions, which might generate new perceptions to stimulate my design nerves — in other words, 'cognitive updating'."

For example, his Blue Bottle Coffee Shanghai Yutong Store was the result of his modern design concepts to remodel a historical site with the starting point of "locality."

The red-brick building accomplished a dialogue between coffee culture and historical stories.

"Compared with large cities, I find places that are 'smaller, newer, mixed with the old' are more alive, and more layered with history. They are more unexpected and interesting with a more futuristic atmosphere," he said.