TOTO GALLERY·MA will be holding a solo exhibition of architect Yasushi Horibe titled Yasushi Horibe: A Human Space for Architecture.

In the two decades since he started out on his own as an architect at the age of 26, Horibe has built an oeuvre of more than 80 works consisting mostly of houses but also buildings such as guesthouses. The works he creates are characterized by their forms based on polygonal geometries; their refined appearance; the deft use of materials such as wood, stone, and concrete; and beautiful detailing. In recent years, he has also designed buildings of a more public nature, such as community assembly halls and temple buildings. The Charnel House in Chikurinji (Kochi Prefecture) that he completed in 2013 was awarded the 2016 Prize of the Architectural Institute of Japan (Architectural Design Division) in recognition of how "while melting into the site environment, it has a presence in the temple grounds that transcends that of a simple charnel house for its serene, dignified spaces created using reinforced concrete and timber with modern construction techniques, meticulous detailing, and the handwork of skilled craftsmen" (translated excerpt from the AIJ website).
This exhibition will attempt to convey the essence of Horibe's architecture through a presentation of short films focusing on 14 of his projects, including major works such as the Charnel House in Chikurinji and Library in Asagaya. The films, which feature interviews with clients who have spent time with the buildings over the years, capture the changing countenances of the buildings through showing how visitors interact with them and how they relate to their surroundings. Viewers should be able to appreciate how the buildings are at once both embodiments of the architect's spirit and joint creations that have been and will continue to be supported by countless people. The exhibition will also feature the recreated interiors of the studio where Horibe develops his work day in and day out. This exhibit will illustrate the process behind the making of his work through showcasing study models, his favorite design tools, and buildings that have influenced him.

The short films that will be shown include "Library in Asagaya (a small urban library housing the private book collection of a scholar of social economics and his grandfather's altar)", the "Charnel House in Chikurinji (a space for spending time with the souls of the deceased)", and the "Hiver bosque (a small pastry shop and café born from the passion of its young owner)", among others. (Details about show times will be posted on our website.)

The exhibition's title, "A Human Space for Architecture", reflects Horibe's hope that people living at this time in which humans have grown distant from nature will recall their memories of the comfortable spaces everyone intrinsically possesses and find that original place where they can truly be themselves.