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On 26th January, 2001, in the city of Sendai, Japan, the unique multi-purpose public cultural centre, Sendai Mediatheque, was opened to much acclaim. This stunning complex accommodates a mixed program of library, art gallery, audio-visual library, film studio and café.  It was a competition winning scheme chosen from amongst 235 competing proposals.

Having been originally inspired by the image of floating seaweed, the architecture is both transparent and light - as if the form is suspended in mid-air. This is achieved by having thirteen steel tubular lattice structures penetrating through and carrying the thin floor slabs (each only 400mm thick) on all seven floors.

Light, both daylight and artificial lighting, plays an important role in the design of the Sendai Mediatheque. In the day, the spaces are filled with diffused light from the outside while at night the entire structure is filled with light and the building glows invitingly.

Sendai Mediatheque’s architect, Toyo Ito will be sharing his vision and experiences of this significant project. He will be joined by the project's lighting designer, Kaoru Mende, who worked closely with Toyo Ito throughout the entire process - from inspiration to completion.

Toyo Ito. Architect

Born in Japan in 1941, Mr. Ito graduated from Tokyo University, Department of Architecture in 1965. After a brief stint in Kiyonori Kikutake Architect and Associate, he started his own studio, Urban Robot (URBOT) in Tokyo, 1971. Its name was changed to Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects in 1979.

He has served as Guest Professor at Columbia University and is an Honorary Professor at the University of North London. He is a leading exponent of architecture that addresses issues of the contemporary “simulated” city. Some of his important works are Tower of Wind in Yokohama 1986, Yatsushiro Municipal Museum 1991, Old People's Home in Yatsushiro 1994 and Sendai Mediatheque 2001. His work has been exhibited widely, ranging from “Vision of Japan” at Victoria and Albert Museum, London in 1991,  “Blurring Architecture” at Tokyo, Antwerp and Germany in 1999-2000 to “Vision and Reality” at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art 2000.

He has won many awards including the Architecture Institute of Japan Award for “Silver Hut” in 1986, 33rd Mainrich Art Award for Yatsushiro Municipal Museum in 1992, AA “INTERACH ‘97” Grand Prix of the Union of Architects in Bulgaria, Gold Medal in 1997, Education Minister’s Art Encouragement Prize in Japan in 1998 and The Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize in Architecture from the America Academy of Arts and Letters in 2000.

Kaoru Mende. Lighting Designer

Born in Tokyo in 1950, Mr. Mende earned his Bachelors and Masters degree from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in the field of industrial and environmental design.  In 1990, he founded Lighting Planners Associates Inc.

The scope of his design activities range widely from residential architecture to urban and environmental lighting. He has collaborated with Toyo Ito on several occasions since Tower of Wind in 1986, most recently on Sendai Mediatheque 2001. Kaoru Mende has also collaborated with many other leading Japanese architects such as Fumihiko Maki, Arata Isozaki and Tadao Ando. He lectures part-time at Tokyo University, the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and other institutions.

Amongst the many awards he has won are the Award of Excellence from the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America as well as the Grand Prix from the International Association of Lighting Designers. His latest publication, "Designing with Light and Shadow", illustrates his collective works.