Haruhiko Takatsuka/Takatsuka Architects Firm Co.,Ltd

<BODY bgcolor="#dbdbdb" text="#6a6a6a" link="#ffffff" vlink="#ffffff" alink="#999999"> <CENTER> <TABLE width="100%"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD align="left" valign="middle" style="font-size : 8pt;font-family : Tahoma;color : #996666;" width="50%">Takatsuka Architects Firm Co.,Ltd</TD> <TD align="right" style="font-size : 8pt;font-family : Tahoma;color : #996666;" width="50%">Japan</TD> </TR> </TBODY> </TABLE> <BR> <BR> <BR> </CENTER> <P align="center"><IMG src="gif/takatsuka.haruhiko.gif" width="176" height="17" border="0"><BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> </P> <CENTER> <TABLE border="1" width="600" cellspacing="1"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD align="center" style="font-size : 10pt;font-family : Verdana;font-weight : bold;">- Profile -</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD> <TABLE cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="text-align : left;font-size : 9pt;font-family : Arial;" width="600"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD rowspan="7" width="25"></TD> <TD rowspan="7"><IMG src="images/ht_175.jpg" width="175" height="214" border="0" alt="Haruhiko Takatsuka"></TD> <TD></TD> <TD>1945</TD> <TD align="left">Sep.</TD> <TD>Born in Okayama Prefecture, Japan</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD></TD> <TD valign="top">1964</TD> <TD align="left" valign="top">May.</TD> <TD valign="top">Graduated Okayama Prefectual Tsuyama Industrial Architecture School<SPAN lang="EN-US" style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "ＭＳＰゴシック";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-font-kerning:1.0pt; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:JA;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'></SPAN><SPAN lang="EN-US" style='font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "ＭＳＰゴシック";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-font-kerning:1.0pt; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:JA;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'><SPAN style='font-size:10.5pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Century; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ明朝";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning:1.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:JA; mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'></SPAN></SPAN></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD></TD> <TD></TD> <TD valign="top">Apr.</TD> <TD valign="top">Entered Kume Architects Firm Co., Ltd.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD></TD> <TD>1969</TD> <TD>Feb.</TD> <TD>Entered Yanagi Architects Firm Co., Ltd.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD></TD> <TD valign="top">1974</TD> <TD valign="top">Feb.</TD> <TD valign="top">Aquired the authorized liecense of the First-degree architect</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD></TD> <TD>1977</TD> <TD>Apr.</TD> <TD>Established Takatsuka Architects Firm Co., Ltd.</TD> </TR> <TR> <TD></TD> <TD></TD> <TD></TD> <TD>Regular Member of Japan Architecture Society<BR> Regular Member of Tokyo Architects Society</TD> </TR> </TBODY> </TABLE> </TD> </TR> </TBODY> </TABLE> </CENTER> <P align="center"><BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> </P> <CENTER> <TABLE width="600"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD align="center" style="font-family : Verdana;color : #996666;font-size : 12pt;font-weight : bold;">Current View for Sukiya style<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN><SPAN lang="EN-US" style='font-size:10.5pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:"ＭＳＰゴシック";mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ明朝";mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-font-kerning:1.0pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: JA;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold'><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"></SPAN></SPAN></TD> </TR> <TR> <TD align="center" style="font-family : Verdana;color : #996666;font-size : 8pt;font-weight : bold;">( Sukiya style : simple but elegant Japanese traditional tastefully-designed house )<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> </TD> </TR> </TBODY> </TABLE> </CENTER> <CENTER> <TABLE width="600" cellspacing="0"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD colspan="2" align="center" style="font-size : 10pt;font-family : Verdana;color : #996666;font-weight : bold;"> - Thought over "Glorification of Shades" -<BR> <BR> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD width="25"></TD> <TD style="font-size : 10pt;font-family : Arial;text-align : justify;" width="580">Once Junichiro Tanizaki, a famous Japanese novelist, stated metaphorically in his “Glorification of Shades” in 1933, "Calling Japanese style architecture a Sumi-e ( monochromatic ink painting ), Shoji (sliding doors) corners could be the slightest colored parts of a painting and a Tokonoma ( little alcoves )corner be the deepest colored one.<BR> Comparing those days, current Japanese housing situation has been dramatically changed. Basically, it is not too much to say that the past decades housing trend in Japan might have been driven getting rid of the value of “Glorification of Shades”; it seems that the taste inclined to bright and wide open spaced western styled housing has rapidly changed not only our life styles but also even the sense of beauty of us.</TD> </TR> </TBODY> </TABLE> <BR> <BR> <BR> </CENTER> <CENTER> <TABLE width="600" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD colspan="3" align="center" style="font-size : 10pt;font-family : Verdana;font-weight : bold;color : #996666;">- In the Stream of Further Modernization -<BR> <BR> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD colspan="2" align="center" width="25"></TD> <TD align="left" width="575" style="font-size : 10pt;font-family : Arial;text-align : justify;"> <TABLE cellspacing="10" cellpadding="0" align="left"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD><IMG src="images/inei.jpg" width="158" height="225" border="0"><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><SPAN lang="EN-US" style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"ＭＳＰゴシック"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-font-kerning:1.0pt;mso-ansi-language: EN-US;mso-fareast-language:JA;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'></SPAN></B></TD> </TR> </TBODY> </TABLE> In the stream of this rapidly changing modern society, we are constantly suffered from stressful circumstances being thirsty for just any places for peaceful moments.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Currently, it has been very difficult, however, to see traditional housing spaces surely designed for mental reflection; on the contrary, we are to mostly see those which highly emphasize their convenience and materiality sufficiency. <BR> Now, if we are to search the mental sufficiency in the category of housing, I would like to strongly suggest that we should reconsider, retrieve and cherish the admiration for “Shades” more than ever, which actually might be forgotten and vanished some time.<BR> “Shades” neutralize the severe stimulation of modern society, melting into our current lives, moderating or thickening the air which let us appreciate the slow and mild time passage.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>The houses that designed based on this thought are to be truly required as the desirable spaces for healing and relaxation.</TD> </TR> </TBODY> </TABLE> <BR> <BR> <BR> </CENTER> <CENTER> <TABLE width="600" cellspacing="0"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD colspan="4" align="center" style="font-size : 10pt;font-family : Verdana;font-weight : bold;color : #996666;">- “Shoin”style and “Sukiya” style with the taste of “Shades” -<BR> <BR> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD colspan="3" align="center" width="25"></TD> <TD align="left" width="576" style="font-size : 10pt;font-family : Arial;text-align : justify;">It is regret to be mentioned that most of the Japanese traditional housing styles are getting to be almost vanished.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Nowadays, “Chumon”style, “Takabei”style, “Dozou”-tyle, “Kabuto”style, “Segai”style, which used to be found everywhere in Japan, hardly ever exist. <BR> So that , “Shoin”style and “Sukiya”style are the very few of these that still survive to let us<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>appreciate the taste of “Shades”. The sections and phases of traditional unique design of those such as wide-spread eaves and paper sliding doors are to make wonderful atmosphere with harmonization of lights as well as natural tasted spaces of “Wa”(Peaceful Japanese) are to be appreciated as healing and peaceful spots.</TD> </TR> </TBODY> </TABLE> <BR> <BR> <BR> </CENTER> <CENTER> <TABLE width="600" cellspacing="0"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD colspan="2" align="center" style="font-size : 10pt;font-family : Verdana;font-weight : bold;color : #996666;">- “Sukiya” from My Private Point of View -<BR> <BR> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD align="center" width="25"></TD> <TD align="left" width="565" valign="top" style="font-size : 10pt;font-family : Arial;text-align : justify;"> <TABLE cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" align="right"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD><IMG src="images/take_hitoe.jpg" width="122" height="180" border="0" align="bottom"></TD> </TR> </TBODY> </TABLE> Generally, once we name a building of “Sukiya” style, most people would imagine Japanese styled hotels or restaurants. In the daylight, it strangely seems that the “Sukiya” styled building like hotels or any recreation spots appear simply quiet or almost vacant without any expressions on their faces, however, twilight coming, with setting lights in the dim, watering stone alleys in the garden, they would appear as if they have incarnated, but those expressions are usually to be too much stylish and rather loud. <BR> “Sukiya” style in which I am wishing to pursue my achievement, however, is actually different from that sort of taste.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Emphasizing Japanese traditional sense of beauty of lovely discretion with cutting off the much stylishness and loudness, I always focus on the very point that the “Sukiya” I design could remind anyone of my clients’ own traditional sense of beauty and their uniqueness as well as the taste must fit in any ways of their matured versatile needs.</TD> </TR> </TBODY> </TABLE> <BR> <BR> <BR> </CENTER> <CENTER> <TABLE width="600" cellspacing="0"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD colspan="2" align="center" style="font-size : 10pt;font-family : Verdana;font-weight : bold;color : #996666;">- Closing -<BR> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD align="center" width="25"></TD> <TD align="left" width="573" style="font-size : 10pt;font-family : Arial;text-align : justify;" valign="middle"> <TABLE cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" align="left"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD><IMG src="images/spain.jpg" width="149" height="225" border="0"></TD> </TR> </TBODY> </TABLE> <BR> Iwas truly impressed by the fabulous sight of the ranging brightly white walls in Arabic town during my stay in Sacromonte, Granada, Spain last year.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>I would like to mention that wonderfully well-balanced outlook and warmth of its total atmosphere I appreciated there seem that commonly exist not only in many of Western or Islamic architectural style but also in Japanese traditional architectural styles like Sukiya”<BR> And I will now pursue my goal in absolutely free and simple compositions after having been set free from some spellbinding, making efforts to work on presenting ever unique style of “Sukiya” making much of admiration for “Shades” and wishes for Japanese spiritual recurrence.</TD> </TR> </TBODY> </TABLE> </CENTER> <CENTER> <TABLE width="600" cellspacing="0"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD align="right" colspan="2" valign="middle" style="font-size : 9pt;font-family : Arial;">May  2001<BR> Haruhiko Takatsuka</TD> </TR> </TBODY> </TABLE> <BR> </CENTER> <HR style="color : #4f4f4f;" width="100%" size="1"> <CENTER style="font-size : 8pt;font-family : Arial;color : #4f4f4f;"><BR> <TABLE cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5"> <TBODY> <TR> <TD width="105" style="color : #ffffff;background-color : #4f4f4f;font-size : 8pt;font-family : Arial;" align="center"><A href="index_2.htm" target="_top">Top Page</A></TD> <TD width="105" style="font-size : 8pt;font-family : Arial;color : #ffffff;background-color : #4f4f4f;" align="center"><A href="gallery_2.htm" target="_top">Gallery Menu</A></TD> <TD width="105" style="font-size : 8pt;font-family : Arial;color : #ffffff;background-color : #4f4f4f;" align="center"><A href="suki&sukiya.htm" target="_top">Suki and Sukiya</A></TD> <TD width="105" style="font-size : 8pt;font-family : Arial;color : #ffffff;background-color : #4f4f4f;" align="center"><A href="ht_2.htm" target="_top">HaruhikoTakatsuka</A></TD> <TD width="105" align="center" style="font-size : 8pt;font-family : Arial;color : #ffffff;background-color : #4f4f4f;"><A href="info_2.htm" target="_top">Company Profile</A></TD> <TD width="105" align="center" style="font-size : 8pt;font-family : Arial;color : #ffffff;background-color : #4f4f4f;"><A href="mailto:info@takatsuka-architects.com">E-mail</A></TD> </TR> </TBODY> </TABLE> <BR> Copyright (C) 2001-2002 Takatsuka Architects Firm Co.,Ltd., All rights reserved.</CENTER> </BODY>