\u00a0<\/p>\n
For Kuma, craft is not simply a matter of preserving heritage. Rather, it offers a way of understanding the relationship between people, materials, and place. Speaking with designboom<\/a>, the architect reflects on the lessons contemporary practice can learn from regional building cultures, the continued relevance of traditional knowledge, and why craftsmanship remains essential in an age increasingly shaped by digital technologies.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Kuma traces his interest in craft back to his early years working outside Japan\u2019s major urban centers. Shortly after establishing his practice, he spent years designing small-scale projects in rural communities, where local building traditions and material cultures remained closely tied to their environments. \u2018There was a time when modern architecture was severed from the ground and local materials,\u2019 he says.<\/strong> Referring to the international ambitions of modernism, Kuma argues that architecture became increasingly detached from local character, climate, and resources in pursuit of standardization.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n evolving through adaptation<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018I spent many years designing small-scale buildings in rural areas across Japan, far from Tokyo. There, I learned about the diversity of the land and materials, as well as the craftsmanship cultivated in those places. Prioritizing the uniqueness of a place has become my architectural principle and never has this experience been more relevant than it is today,\u2019 the Japanese architect tells us.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n That experience continues to shape his understanding of architecture today. Kengo Kuma sees craft as a form of knowledge that emerges through generations of observation and adaptation. Traditional techniques, he suggests, are inseparable from the environments in which they developed.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018Architecture, by its very nature, has been created by local craftsmen using local materials, upon their careful observation,\u2019 he shares with designboom.<\/strong> \u2018Architecture is rooted in the earth and cannot be moved in the air from one place to another. Therefore, understanding the local materials and craftsmanship is essential for anyone involved in architecture.\u2019<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Kengo Kuma\u2019s work frequently reinterprets traditional Japanese construction techniques at larger architectural scales, rejecting the notion that tradition and innovation exist in opposition. In his view, traditions survive precisely because they continue to evolve. \u2018The reason things labeled \u201dtraditional\u201d have survived is that \u201dtradition\u201d is not a fixed, unchanging matter, but rather the result of flexibly adapting to the changes of the times,\u2019 he explains.<\/strong> \u2018Whether it\u2019s a traditional method or not, we simply use the techniques that are most appropriate for the architecture of that location.\u2019<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n why craftsmanship remains relevant in the age of AI<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This understanding of craftsmanship as an adaptive process also informs Kuma\u2019s perspective on contemporary technologies. As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into architectural workflows, he remains cautious about claims that it will fundamentally transform the discipline.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018AI presents us with various options at every stage of the design process. However, it is humans who are building in reality,\u2019 he highlights.<\/strong> \u2018I believe that rather than transforming the very nature of architecture, AI will continue to serve merely as a tool to support our thinking.\u2019<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n At the same time, Kuma sees signs of renewed interest in material knowledge among younger generations. Through workshops and pavilion-building exercises with students, he observes a strong sensitivity toward the physical qualities of materials and the possibilities they offer.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018They are surprisingly sensitive to materials and come up with amazing ideas to make the most of them, which I find very inspiring,\u2019 the architect points out.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n sustainability and architecture\u2019s relationship with nature<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n For Kuma, traditional building cultures also offer important lessons as architects grapple with questions of sustainability. Long before sustainability emerged as a contemporary framework, builders worked within strict geographic, material, and technological constraints.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018In the old days, people and technologies involved in building construction could not move freely and their available resources were limited \u2014 but outstanding architecture and craftsmanship we admire today were cultivated under such circumstances,\u2019 Kengo Kuma reflects.<\/strong> \u2018I believe that learning about the wisdom of our predecessors is a far more sustainable act than merely conducting research on sustainability.\u2019<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The value of craftsmanship, however, extends beyond technical expertise alone. Embedded within traditional techniques are cultural values, collective memories, and ways of understanding relationships between communities and their environments.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018Behind craftsmanship and traditional techniques lie the vision and culture of the people who created them,\u2019 the architect observes.<\/strong> \u2018We must respect the work of our predecessors and create an environment where today\u2019s craftsmanship can prosper.\u2019<\/p>\n![\"kengo](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kengo-kuma-craftsmanship-architecture-connection-place-designboom-03.jpg\")
GC Prostho Museum Research Center | image \u00a9 Daici Ano<\/p>\n![\"kengo](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kengo-kuma-craftsmanship-architecture-connection-place-designboom-04.jpg\")
GC Prostho Museum Research Center | image \u00a9 Daici Ano<\/p>\n![\"kengo](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kengo-kuma-craftsmanship-architecture-connection-place-designboom-05.jpg\")
SunnyHills at Minami-Aoyama | image \u00a9 Daici Ano<\/p>\n
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