School of Architecture, M1, Mcgilluniversity

DRM, Winter, 2003

Pei-Yi LIN, 9927171,

School of Architecture, M1, McGillUniversity

Thesis Project Name

Japanese Complex in Montreal (JCM)

Thesis Proposal

The intention of this project is to design a place for people to experience the traditional and contemporary Japanese culture. There are many ways to approach a certain unfamiliar culture and the most efficient way is to live the same way as the people of that particular culture.

Zen has been a great influence to the Japanese culture as well as the Japanese architecture. How to interpret the principles of Zen art becomes therefore the major concern when designing this complex. The principles of Zen art are simple, clean, even severe, nature, pure, and symbolic. The Zen-influenced Japanese architecture has therefore characteristics of

-simplicity, thus decoration is virtually nonexistent,

-asymmetry, merging into the natural landscape, for example,

-use of module to simplify and standardize the size of rooms according to the number of tatami mats being fitted in the rooms,

-expose building materials to reveal its natural looking, and

-sustainability, the building is left open to the influence of flows of wind, light, and water.

Thesis Project Program

The complex provides a place to eat, to shop, to stay, to study, and to enjoy for Montrealers and visitors all around the world as well as the Japanese who live in or visit Montreal,

- to eat: a Japanese restaurant.

- to shop: some retail stores selling Japanese products.

- to stay: a Ryokan, Japanese style hotel.

- to study: some workshops for pottery and flower arrangement.

- to enjoy: series of small indoor and outdoor gardens (may also include a teahouse for tea ceremony purpose).

The complex also provides good accessibility to the major public transportation since the place is also designed for people coming from everywhere.

Site

Along Viger Avenue between Cote du Beaver Hall and Jeanne-Mance Street, there is a series of vacant lots now being used as parking lots. These vacant lots have several potentials that encourage the JapaneseCenter of Montreal to be located here. This region, called Quartier International, is now on developing with a concentration of international activities. It is also in the proximity of major tourist attractions, such as ChinaTown, Old Montreal and OldPort, and two metro stations, Square-Victoria and Place d'Armes. Once the JapaneseCenter of Montreal being built, there is a great possibility that the JapaneseCenter of Montreal will play a certain role in the international activities and will become one of the major tourist attractions.

Bibliography/References

Books

BOGNAR, Botond. Nikken Sekkei: Building Future Japan 1900-2000, 2000, Rizolli International Publication Inc., pages 308/335-337.

BOYD, Robin. New Directions in Japanese Architecture, 1968, George Braziller, Inc., New York, 128 pages.

CARONESS, Alen MacWeeney. Spaces for Silence, 2002, Tuttle Publishing, Boston-Reetland-Tokyo, pages 20-21.

CARVER, Norman F. Form and Space of Japanese Architecture, 1955, Shokokusha Publishing Co., Tokyo, Japan, pages 8-9/14/130.

GK SEKKEI Associates. Urban Enviro-Media, Recent Works and Projects, 1989 November 11, #84, Process: Architecture, Tokyo, Japan, 152 pages.

HOOVER, Thomas. Zen Culture, 1977, Random House, New York, 262 pages.

INOUE, Mitsud. Space in Japanese Architecture, 1985, Weatherhill, New York and Tokyo, pages 137/163-167.

JINNAI, Hidenobu. Ethnic Tokyo, 1987, Process: Architecture, Tokyo, Japan, 167 pages.

MAKI, Fumihiko. Fumihiko Maki: Buildings and Projects, 1997, Princeton Architectural Press, New York, 272 pages.

MUROTANI, Bunji. The Turn Key System in Architecture, 1984, Process: Architecture, Tokyo, Japan, 172 pages.

PA. Works of MHS, 1990 November 15, #92, Process: Architecture, Tokyo, Japan, 152 pages.

RIEWOLDT, Otto. New Hotel Design, 2002, Watsun Wptill, New York, 240 pages.

YAMASHITA Sekkei Inc. Amenity Space for Interaction, 1989, Process: Architecture, Tokyo, Japan, 166 pages.

ZUKOWSKY, John. Japan 2000: Architecture and Design for the Japanese Public, 1998, the Art Institute of Chicago and Prestel-Verlag, Munich-New York, 158 pages.

Magazines

EBISAWA, Tatsuo. "L'Albergo Dei Giradini Hotel", Abitare, 1996 September, pages 158-161.

HENDERSON, Justin. "Hospitality News: East Meets West", Interiors, 1991 March, pages 24.

HENDERSON, Justin. "Restaurants/Hotels", Interiors, 1988 February, pages 49-52.

IIJIMA, Yoichi. "Toward Japaneseness", Japanese Architect JA, 1995 February, pages28-33.

JA. "Japanese-German Center of Berlin", Japanese Architect, 1995 February, pages 186-189.

JOHNSTON, Larissa. "Space and Place", Architectural Theory Review, 1996 April, pages 123-129.

MURAMATSU, Teijiro. "Dialogue Series: Humanity and Architecture", Japanese Architect JA, 1973 August, pages 89-96.

MURAMATSU, Teijiro. "Dialogue Series: Humanity and Architecture", Japanese Architect JA, 1973 September, pages 89-96.

MURAMATSU, Teijiro. "Dialogue Series: Humanity and Architecture", Japanese Architect JA, 1973 October, pages 89-96.

MURAMATSU, Teijiro. "Dialogue Series: Humanity and Architecture", Japanese Architect JA, 1973 November, pages 89-96.

MURAMATSU, Teijiro. "Dialogue Series: Humanity and Architecture", Japanese Architect JA, 1973 December, pages 89-96.

SIMPSON, Roderick. "The Logic of Ecology in Architecture", A+U, 1997 May, pages 124-132.

SUZUKI, Hiroyuki. "Architecture Today", GA Document, 1996 Aprile, pages 6-13.

Web Sites

Japanese Architecture [

Montreal in Numbers [

Quartier International [

Ryokan [

Ryokan Facilities [

Ryokan: The Joy of Traveling [

References

Tourisme Montreal: Carte Touristique Officielle, 2002-2003.

Yellow-pages of Japanese Companies in Montreal/Quebec, 2002, pages 93-101.

Contacts

Quartier International Project Office

Martin Maillet, Development Consultant

WorldTradeCenter of Montreal

393 Saint-Jacques Street, Suite 350,

Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H2Y 1N9

Telephone: 514-841-7634

Quartier International Development plan architect

Provencher, Roy & Associes

Precedents

Gani House Restaurant by MHS Planners, Architects & Engineers.

GenjiMuseum by Nikken Sekkei, Uji, 1998.

Honjin Hiranoya Hotel by Tatsuo Ebisawa, Takayama.

Hotel KoyoKan, IwatePrefecture, 1979.

Hotel Nikko by Takenaka International, USA, Ltd, San Francisco.

Japanese-GermanCenter of Berlin by Albert Speer, Berlin, 1938-1942.

New Otani Hotel by Robert Merchant, Los Angeles.

Phase II of Hillside Terrace by Fumihiko Maki, Shibuya, Tokyo, 1969-92.

Restaurant Complex: 12-GgetsuBuilding by MHS Planners, Architects & Engineers, Shibuya.

YKK Guest House by Fumihiko Maki, Kurobe, Toyama, 1982.

2003/2/3