The Japanese love to compare their country to a bamboo trunk, clad in steel and wrapped in plastic. The country really resembles with its architecture an exotic cover, under which you can find a striking combination of ancient pagodas and modern futuristic skyscrapers. However, these are not all the distinctive features of this amazing country.
Basic nuances
Today in Japan, stylish high-tech architecture prevails, representing fantastic objects, which, at the same time, are combined with classic rectangular shapes. Circles and cones, so popular in modern Japanese architecture, entered it only a few decades ago. The layout of buildings in Japan is recognized as one of the best in the world - there are almost no empty or unused areas on the territory of the country.
In addition, wooden buildings with thin walls and massive flat roofs have long been a feature of traditional Japanese architecture. This is due to the country's climatic conditions and the constant threat of earthquakes. Wood is a material that is strong enough to withstand seismic shocks.
Almost all Japanese temples merge with the surrounding landscape as much as possible, giving the impression of complete unity with nature - a powerful tree can often serve as a supporting column. Gardens of stones are also considered an obligatory element of the architecture of temples, symbolizing not only the whole nature, but also the whole Universe. Religious buildings in Japan are completely devoid of color and decoration - their beauty lies in the simplicity and naturalness of solid unpainted wood, which is the main building material.
Additional aspects
A widespread feature of Japanese architecture is the absolute harmony of the building and the surrounding space. Japanese architects do not divide the external and internal space of houses into several separate parts - they create an environment that allows the rooms to flow into each other.
The leading trend in modern Japanese architecture is constructivism, which is successfully combined by planners with the traditional style. This trend can be clearly seen in the futuristic buildings of today's Japan, which are decorated with gardens with ponds and stones, as well as other elements of the old national stylization. The main aspiration of the Japanese is to create comfortable, minimalistic and reliable architectural solutions.
Today, even the most original and avant-garde architectural structures are built by Japanese architects using environmentally friendly materials. Bold geometric designs are also in vogue, the uniqueness of which is emphasized with the help of contrasting but harmonious colors, as well as multi-colored lighting that draws attention to the modern masterpieces of Japanese architecture.
Many Japanese private houses do not have a solid stone foundation, based only on wooden columns and a roof - the Japanese believe that the foundation of stone prevents them from rushing into the spiritual realm and burden their spirit with excessive materialism. As a floor, the Japanese use wooden flooring, which rises above the ground to a height of about half a meter - it provides the room with excellent ventilation and balances temperature drops.
