--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Since I am a Japanese man who's been…" description: "\"Since I am a Japanese man who's been building through the experience of Japanese architecture, my actual designs come from Japanese architectural conce..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/tadao-ando-12283_architecture_since-i-am-a-japanese-man-who-s-been-bui_1969601.jpg" --- # Since I am a Japanese man who's been building through the… ![“Since I am a Japanese man who's been building through the experience of Japanese architecture, my actual designs come from Japanese architectural concepts, although they're based on Western methods and materials.” quote by Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/tadao-ando-12283_architecture_since-i-am-a-japanese-man-who-s-been-bui_1969601.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/tadao-ando-12283_architecture_since-i-am-a-japanese-man-who-s-been-bui_1969601.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/tadao-ando-12283_architecture_since-i-am-a-japanese-man-who-s-been-bui_1969601.jpg) > “Since I am a Japanese man who's been building through the experience of Japanese architecture, my actual designs come from Japanese architectural concepts, although they're based on Western methods and materials.” [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. His designs blend Japanese architectural ideas with Western techniques and materials, creating a hybrid style. **In simple terms:** Japanese ideas meet Western methods. Key Takeaway Embrace cross‑cultural design. Themes architecture culture innovation Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - urban projects - residential design - public spaces - restoration work Key Concepts Hybrid design contextual adaptation materiality Questions to Reflect On - How can you honor tradition while using modern tools? - What risks arise from mixing styles? A Different Perspective May dilute cultural authenticity if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actual Designs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actual-designs-3299442/) [Architectural Concepts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architectural-concepts-3299440/) [Architecture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architecture/) [Architecture Actual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architecture-actual-3299441/) [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Concepts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concepts/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Japanese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japanese/) [Japanese Architectural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japanese-architectural-2303985/) [Japanese architecture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japanese-architecture/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Materials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materials/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Method](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/method/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) ## Related quotes > [Japanese architecture is traditionally based on wooden structures that need renovating on a regular basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/japanese-architecture-is-traditionally-based-on-wooden-structures/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [The Japanese garden is a very important tool in Japanese architectural design because, not only is a garden traditionally included in any house design,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-w-barber/the-japanese-garden-is-a-very-important-tool-in-japanese/) [E. J. W. Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-w-barber/) > [“The world headquarters of Fukai Semiconductor was housed in a mammoth, sprawling building of glass, polished aluminum and native rock that seemed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hagberg/the-world-headquarters-of-fukai-semiconductor-was-housed-in-a-mammoth/) [David Hagberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hagberg/) > [After World War II great strides were made in modern Japanese architecture, not only in advanced technology, allowing earthquake resistant tall buildings, but expressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-seidler/after-world-war-ii-great-strides-were-made-in-modern-japanese/) [Harry Seidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-seidler/) > [Japanese architecture is very much copied in this country and in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minoru-yamasaki/japanese-architecture-is-very-much-copied-in-this-country-and-in/) [Minoru Yamasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minoru-yamasaki/) > [If you examine this, I think that you will find that it's the mechanics of Japanese architecture that have been thought of as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minoru-yamasaki/if-you-examine-this-i-think-that-you-will-find-that-it-s-the/) [Minoru Yamasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minoru-yamasaki/) > [You could say that my aim is ‘to recover the place’. The place is a result of nature and time; this is the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kengo-kuma/you-could-say-that-my-aim-is-to-recover-the-place-the-place-is-a/) [Kengo Kuma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kengo-kuma/) > [I recently wrote a piece on comics in architecture - I was talking about the three kinds of comics I pay attention to: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/i-recently-wrote-a-piece-on-comics-in-architecture-i-was-talking/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [There are elements of intrinsic beauty in the simplification of a house built on the log cabin idea. First, there is the bare beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-stickley/there-are-elements-of-intrinsic-beauty-in-the-simplification-of-a/) [Gustav Stickley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-stickley/) > [First, there is the bare beauty of the logs themselves with their long lines and firm curves. Then there is the open charm felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-stickley/first-there-is-the-bare-beauty-of-the-logs-themselves-with-their-long/) [Gustav Stickley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-stickley/) > [“Iwo Jima is more officially known as “Sulfur Island,” and it lies in a chain of volcanic islands south of the Ogasawara Islands. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/iwo-jima-is-more-officially-known-as-sulfur-island-and-it-lies-in-a/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) > [I notice that teams are now more interested in Japanese players than when I first went to Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hidetoshi-nakata/i-notice-that-teams-are-now-more-interested-in-japanese-players-than/) [Hidetoshi Nakata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hidetoshi-nakata/) > [We began intercepting Japanese radio transmissions, which indicated the two forces were very close to each other. We found out later that we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-adams/we-began-intercepting-japanese-radio-transmissions-which-indicated/) [Jack Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-adams/) > [If Japanese tea 'stands,' it acquires a coarse bitterness and an unwholesome astringency. Milk and sugar are not used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-bird/if-japanese-tea-stands-it-acquires-a-coarse-bitterness-and-an/) [Isabella Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-bird/) > [We got orders to strike the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. We had a task force with the Enterprise. We had two or three cruisers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-ross/we-got-orders-to-strike-the-marshall-and-gilbert-islands-we-had-a/) [Barney Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-ross/) ## More by Tadao Ando > [My objective is to design a space that nobody else can come up with while using the material that anyone can use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/my-objective-is-to-design-a-space-that-nobody-else-can-come-up-with/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [In Architecture there is a part that is the result of Logical Reasoning and a part that is created through the Senses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/in-architecture-there-is-a-part-that-is-the-result-of-logical/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [Spiritual space is lost in gaining convenience. I saw the need to create a mixture of Japanese spiritual culture and modern western architecture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/spiritual-space-is-lost-in-gaining-convenience-i-saw-the-need-to/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [Without this spirit, Modernist architecture cannot fully exist. Since there is often a mismatch between the logic and the spirit of Modernism, I use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/without-this-spirit-modernist-architecture-cannot-fully-exist-since/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [Japanese architecture is traditionally based on wooden structures that need renovating on a regular basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/japanese-architecture-is-traditionally-based-on-wooden-structures/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [The computer offers another kind of creativity. You cannot ignore the creativity that computer technology can bring. But you need to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/the-computer-offers-another-kind-of-creativity-you-cannot-ignore-the/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [No matter how advanced society becomes, institutionally or technologically, a house in which nature can be sensed represents for me the ideal environment in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/no-matter-how-advanced-society-becomes-institutionally-or/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [In Italy, there are so many significant architectural structures in history such as the Pantheon in Rome, or the Duomo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/in-italy-there-are-so-many-significant-architectural-structures-in/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [I think architecture becomes interesting when it has a double character, that is, when it is as simple as possible but, at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/i-think-architecture-becomes-interesting-when-it-has-a-double/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [The speed of change makes you wonder what will become of architecture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/the-speed-of-change-makes-you-wonder-what-will-become-of-architecture/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [But in Japan, there's nothing like that, since the temple is made of wood. The divine spirit inside the building is eternal, so the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/but-in-japan-there-s-nothing-like-that-since-the-temple-is-made-of/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [I hope that America as a whole, and especially its architects, will become more seriously involved in producing a new architectural culture that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/i-hope-that-america-as-a-whole-and-especially-its-architects-will/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [I am interested in things happening around me, and I need to understand what's going on in other artistic sectors like music and literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/i-am-interested-in-things-happening-around-me-and-i-need-to/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [I like ruins because what remains is not the total design, but the clarity of thought, the naked structure, the spirit of the thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/i-like-ruins-because-what-remains-is-not-the-total-design-but-the/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) > [I believe that the way people live can be directed a little by architecture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/i-believe-that-the-way-people-live-can-be-directed-a-little-by/) [Tadao Ando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) [Explore all 55 Tadao Ando quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/) ## More Architecture quotes > [The bones of my architecture are very much related to the structure, to the physical fact of how a building can stand up; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-bones-of-my-architecture-are-very-much-related-to-the-structure/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [The Parthenon is really only a farmyard over which someone put a roof; colonades and sculptures were added because there were people in Athens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/the-parthenon-is-really-only-a-farmyard-over-which-someone-put-a-roof/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [I just think structure can make a book feel so much bigger. It's the architecture. You could use flimsy materials if you wanted to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-just-think-structure-can-make-a-book-feel-so-much-bigger-it-s-the/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [When I am asked what I believe in, I say that I believe in architecture. Architecture is the mother of the arts. I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-meier/when-i-am-asked-what-i-believe-in-i-say-that-i-believe-in/) [Richard Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-meier/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [London, from the architecture to the culture to the fashion to the accents, feels like it's a special place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/london-from-the-architecture-to-the-culture-to-the-fashion-to-the/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [A wiki works best where you're trying to answer a question that you can't easily pose, where there's not a natural structure that's known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/a-wiki-works-best-where-you-re-trying-to-answer-a-question-that-you/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [Architecture is not a profession for the faint-hearted, the weak-willed, or the short-lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-filler/architecture-is-not-a-profession-for-the-faint-hearted-the-weak/) [Martin Filler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-filler/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Winning a competition in architecture is a ticket to oblivion. It's just an idea. Ninety-nine per cent never get built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-libeskind/winning-a-competition-in-architecture-is-a-ticket-to-oblivion-it-s/) [Daniel Libeskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-libeskind/) > [It's not so much about form versus functionality. Rather, it's about doing both and doing them a lot and doing them well-and that's how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-prince-ramus/it-s-not-so-much-about-form-versus-functionality-rather-it-s-about/) [Joshua Prince-Ramus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-prince-ramus/) > [Engineering, medicine, business, architecture and painting are concerned not with the necessary but with the contingent - not with how things are but with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-simon/engineering-medicine-business-architecture-and-painting-are-concerned/) [Herbert Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-simon/) [Browse all 3,013 Architecture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architecture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Since I am a Japanese man who's been building through the experience of Japanese architecture, my actual designs come from Japanese architectural concepts, although they're based on Western methods and materials.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tadao Ando" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/since-i-am-a-japanese-man-who-s-been-building-through-the-experience/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Architecture" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/since-i-am-a-japanese-man-who-s-been-building-through-the-experience/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/tadao-ando-12283_architecture_since-i-am-a-japanese-man-who-s-been-bui_1969601.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/tadao-ando-12283_architecture_since-i-am-a-japanese-man-who-s-been-bui_1969601.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/tadao-ando-12283_architecture_since-i-am-a-japanese-man-who-s-been-bui_1969601.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Since I am a Japanese man who's been building through the experience of Japanese architecture, my actual…” — Tadao Ando", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tadao Ando", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadao-ando/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Since I am a Japanese man...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/since-i-am-a-japanese-man-who-s-been-building-through-the-experience/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadao-ando/since-i-am-a-japanese-man-who-s-been-building-through-the-experience/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```