In this era of rapidly accelerating social complexity, what can architecture propose?
Those involved in architecture are generally categorized into producers and consumers. With the advent of highly industrialized building materials and construction methods, architecture has become increasingly mechanized, leading to greater specialization and fragmentation of the field. As a result, the sense of autonomy among those involved in architecture appears continuously diminished.
On the other hand, architects are now involved in various initiatives in this context, such as rebuilding relationships between builders and users by participating in all stages from preliminary planning to operation, developing systems to utilize materials that have not been used as building materials in the past, collecting locally available materials and technologies as builders, and handling materials used in construction and demolition as part of resource recycling.

We, as the architects selected through the an Open-call Design Proposal process for the resting areas, event stages, restrooms, and other facilities for the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, proposed ideas that transcended the scope of the exposition facilities, posing the question, “What does it mean to engage in architecture and be a key player in it today? The exhibition will showcase the ideas and inspirations behind each of us who have been involved in the project, as well as the process of realizing our designs, and our plans for the future after the Expo.
We believe that the key to reclaiming the autonomy of architecture lies in engaging in various aspects of architecture as key players with their own strategies rather than simply solving the given conditions and making plans. This is also a practical answer to the inevitable question, "Why do we make architecture?"

We hope to provide insight into the future of architecture by showcasing our efforts to reinterpret the autonomy of architecture from a new perspective and transcend existing frameworks and constraints.

"Emerging Architecture, Own Ways" Exhibition Committee
Kohei Kudo, Yusuke Komata, Keisuke Kiri, Naoyuki Kunikiyo

A society where children thrive is full of hope for the future. Similarly, the continuous innovation of architectural concepts offers hope for the future. However, this innovation is no longer the same as the era of the Expo 1970 Osaka. Architects are no longer elites. Architects are those who, as key players, become involved in situations or engage many other key players in different positions, expanding architecture into uncharted territories. They are individuals pursuing new ways of creating architecture, taking advantage of the unique opportunity of the Expo. The earnest brilliance emanating from their thorough discussions conveys a wave of inspiration.
Think. Act. The future lies ahead.

"Emerging Architecture, Own Ways" Exhibition Supervisor
Akihisa Hirata

In every era, young people shape the future. I believe sincerity is the most remarkable quality shared by the twenty architects featured in this exhibition. Each has a different perspective, but they are all uncompromisingly sincere about the materials, technology, the global environment, architecture, society, and people while responding wholeheartedly to various circumstances. And because of their thorough sincerity, they expose distortions in our society and common sense. We live in a society where sincerity seems out of place. In their sincere gaze, sometimes gritty and unrefined and other times full of compassion, we undoubtedly sense hope for the future of architecture.

"Emerging Architecture, Own Ways" Exhibition Advisor
Sou Fujimoto