Keisuke Maeda / UID

My Thoughts on Architecture

I strongly believe that to create architecture is “to create an environment”.
Rich human experiences can be cultivated in the context of a reciprocal relationship with the natural environment. Through our experiences, we develop profound human sensitivities and emotions in interaction and communication with various natural elements, including animals and plants. I feel through the use of all our senses we can have experiences that create a sustainable environment. For the past decade, I have been based in my hometown, Fukuyama city, Hiroshima (located in the mid-west region of Japan). The city faces the Seto Inland Sea (that has beautiful islands) and enjoys a temperate climate.

I believe it is important to be based in my hometown while working in diverse regions and on various projects, especially in an age of an accelerating consumerism. In addition, physical space is becoming unnecessary for communication, thus, it is our responsibility to get involved in time-consuming processes to “create an environment”. As an architect, I think highly of different perspectives for harmonious and extensive creative works, without being particularly conscious of boundaries between categories, such as occupations (architect, civil engineer, or landscaper) and positions. By not limiting oneself to one’s own limited perspective, it expands the roles of one another and builds face to face trusting relationships in communities.