Kengo Kuma, “From Concrete to Wood: Why Wood Matters”

The Tohoku earthquake and tsunami shattered coastal cities in Japan in 2011. Kengo Kuma, taking as a point of departure his experiences in the aftermath of that natural disaster, will examine humans’ relationship with nature, questioning the perceived strength of steel and concrete and proposing the reintroduction of wood in design as a fair and practical mediator between humans and nature. Born in Tokyo, Kuma completed his master’s degree at the University of Tokyo in 1979 and spent time as a visiting sch