The Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 left residents of Rikuzentakata in Iwate Prefecture with no option but to live in isolated temporary shelters as they wrestled with the uncertainty of their future. To help lift their spirits, architect Toyo Ito proposed building a space where people could get together to share their experiences and feelings with each other. Minna no Ie (A Home for Everyone) is the result of Ito's collaboration with other prominent architects, including Sosuke Fujimoto and Kumiko Inui, and it has now become a symbol of recovery, representing hope for the future.
On show are more than 100 sketches, blueprints, and model replicas related to the project, including photos of the house, taken by photographer Naoya Hatakeyama, a native of the disaster-stricken area; Jan. 18-March 23.
Toto Gallery-Ma; (03) 3402-1010; Toto Nogizaka Bldg. 3F, 1-24-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo; Nogizaka Station, Chiyoda Line. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (Fri. till 7 p.m.). Free admission. Closed Sun., Mon. (except March 11) and holidays. www.toto.co.jp/gallerma.
