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[Circular Project Dialogue Vol.2] Starting from ASNOVA’s Culture, Envisioning the Future of “Circulation” Through Diverse Perspectives
- Circular Economy
- Butterfly Diagram
- Loftwork
- Circular Business
- circular economy
SOCIETY
The possibilities of art and scaffolding. Scaffolding rental for exhibition at Tokyo University of the Arts
ASNOVA has been developing a variety of services, with its main business being the rental of.
We were approached by Tokyo University of the Arts and asked if we could use scaffolding for an exhibition of their works, and we were given the opportunity to rent scaffolding for the exhibition "Clouds and Breath - Extra Exhibition as Temporary Renovation" in commemoration of the retirement of Professor Jun Aoki of the university. We were blessed with the opportunity to rent .
scaffolding This is a report on the real voices of the students (Kazumasa Miwa, Momoko Sano, Jyusei Oiwa, and Shinroo Akiyama, first-year master's students in the Jun Aoki Laboratory, Department of Architecture, Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts) who were able to express their creativity using the material scaffolding and the possibilities that Professor Aoki felt through this opportunity.
Text: Sayaka Mitsuda
Photo: Sho Kobayashi
INDEX
PROIFILE
- Jun Aoki
- Born in 1956 (Showa 31), he is an architect and head of Jun Aoki Architectural Planning Office, Inc. He has received the Architectural Institute of Japan Award and the Yoshioka Award, among others, and as an educator he has produced many architects.
- Kazumasa Miwa
- Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1999. Graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Tokyo University of the Arts in 2023. Currently enrolled in the Graduate School of the same university.
- Momoko Sano
- He is currently studying at the Graduate School of Tokyo University of the Arts.
- Oiwa Tatsuo
- Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 2000. Graduated from the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Design Engineering, Hosei University in 2023. Currently enrolled in the Graduate School of Tokyo University of the Arts.
- Akiyama Masaru
- Born in Gunma Prefecture in 1999. Graduated from the Department of Architecture, College of Science and Technology, Nihon University in 2023. Currently enrolled in the Graduate School of Tokyo University of the Arts.
My first experience with scaffolding. Enjoying creating my work
Q: Was this your first time using scaffolding?
Miwa: It was my first time. At first, we had planned to use a different material, but in discussions with my professor and lab assistant Yushi Sasada, we came to the conclusion that we should try using scaffolding, so we decided to give it a try.
I'm ashamed to say that I had never even heard of "wedge binding type scaffolding" until then, and at first I was worried, wondering "What is this rough part?" and "How am I going to use it?"
However, as I continued to use it, my understanding of scaffolding itself deepened, and I was able to use it in the way I wanted.
Sano: When I hear the word "scaffolding," I always think of it as something used at construction sites. However, this time, the project started with walking through the "display hall," so it could also be used as a corridor or walkway, and I felt it was very versatile.
Oiwa: I felt that "scaffolding" was a very physical material. It was a lot of fun to actually use my body to assemble it. It was surprisingly easy to handle, and I think it will be useful for future exhibitions.
Akiyama: Until I was approached about this project, I didn't even know that there were companies that rented scaffolding. My impression after using it is that scaffolding is something that allows you to go back and forth between "abstract" and "concrete." The "box" exhibited on the second floor looks very abstract from the outside, but when you go inside, the structure is exposed and it is very concrete. I thought it was a very valuable opportunity to broaden the scope of expression in this way.
Q. Please tell us about the things you focused on during this production and any difficulties you faced.
Miwa: Before starting production, we do 3D modeling to create the design, but even if we thought it was just right on the drawing, there were some parts that needed to be adjusted when we brought it to the site. Since scaffolding is a set of standards, I thought it wouldn't be suitable for such adjustments, but on the contrary, it was easy to make changes on site because it was set to a certain standard.
Sano: It was hard to climb scaffolding to build the walls outside. However, scaffolding was strong and easy to climb up and down, so we were able to work safely at high altitudes.
This was my first time to actually go through the entire process from design to construction, so I was thrilled to be able to create what I had imagined with my own hands.
Q. What would you like to use in your future productions and what have you learned?
Miwa: We often hold art exhibitions, but most of them are one-off and must be removed when the period is over. Even in such cases, using scaffolding makes it easier to return to the original state and also makes it easier to assemble, so I thought it would broaden the scope of exhibitions. With the current cries for sustainability, I felt that there is still much that can be done in the genres of architecture and art.
Sano: I learned that scaffolding is a flexible material that can be used as a foundation, a framework, or as part of a work. It's a material with great potential to broaden the scope of my work. I think this was a very valuable opportunity.
Oiwa: I'm interested in creating a temporary "space for appreciation" from an empty space, and I think that this was exactly what we were able to achieve with scaffolding. I would definitely like to consider this next time I create a temporary work or a temporary space in the future.
Akiyama: Some of the architectural works make use of scaffolding, but this was the first time I had actually tried it myself. I found it fascinating how easily you can create a large space just by assembling scaffolding.
I want students to learn the importance of making their images concrete
Q. What led ASNOVA to sponsor this event?
Aoki: Since 2020, we have held three exhibitions under the theme of "Exhibition as Temporary Renovation."
This time, as a "special edition," under my direction, we developed ideas together with first-year master's students, architects, and designers, and set it up under the supervision of Takahiro Kai, an education assistant in the Department of Architecture.
For the production, I had the idea of using the material scaffolding as a framework for creating exhibits for some time. When we were looking for a rental company, we found a student who had worked for a company that used to do business with ASNOVA, and through his introduction we began corresponding with ASNOVA.
Q. What did the students think while they were working on the project?
Aoki: At first, everyone seemed a little confused by scaffolding, which they were using for the first time, but they got the hang of it quicker than expected. There were some differences between the plans they had prepared and the actual site, but it was impressive how they responded flexibly, adjusting things on the spot and ordering new materials. That's probably because scaffolding itself is a flexible material.
Young people today are familiar with using computers and software, so they can easily create images on a screen. This can be a good thing in that it stimulates the imagination, but to put it another way, it's nothing more than a "delusion." It gives the illusion that things can be made easily. This is actually a very dangerous thing when it comes to manufacturing. When actually making something, how will you start making it, what difficulties do you foresee? How does it feel to hold it? Can you hold it properly? I think it was very valuable to be able to take these things off the drawing board and let them experience them in reality.
Q: Professor Aoki, please tell us about the "potential of scaffolding" that you felt through this project.
Aoki: Since scaffolding has a set size and specifications, I felt it was easy to imagine the finished structure in my head. It is also easy to assemble, yet sturdy, and made of a very reliable material, so I felt it would be highly compatible with educational settings. I hope the students will use the experience they gained from this exhibition in their future creative endeavors.
INDEX
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