Discussion: The Ambiguity of the Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto
The Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto has long been a source of inspiration to architects, associated with tenets of modern architecture such as modular floor plans, frame construction, and planar surfaces void of colour or decoration. With Yasuhiro Ishimoto's photos at hand, 20th century architects have grappled with the aesthetics and philosophy of the villa. Ishimoto (1921-2012) was born in San Francisco; he studied architecture and photography in Chicago. His first Katsura Villa series, shot in 1953 and published in "Katsura: Tradition and Creation in Japanese Architecture" (1960) in collaboration with Kenzō Tange, emphasized those modernist aspects. Years later, in a second series, he drew attention to other characteristics, such as the villa's slightly arched roofs and colourful interiors. The villa suddenly seemed ambiguous and post-modern. In his seminal essay on Katsura accompanying the second series, Arata Isozaki relates how Bruno Taut, Sutemi Horiguchi and Kenzō Tange's readings of the villa played a crucial role in their deployment of modernism.
