This study examines and clarifies the publication method and characteristics of serial illustrated books published by KOYOSHA, a well-known architectural publisher in Taisho era and prewar Showa.
In Chapter One, the purpose of this study is described. Along with technical developments in printing, the importance of visual materials in modern architecture began to increase. However, the importance of illustrated books on architecture has been overlooked in the framework for the history of modern architecture in Japan. In other words, much attention has been paid to architectural magazines intended to introduce various “ism”s or ideologies of modernist thinking, as well as building technical books intended to rationalize the building industry in Japan up to this day.
In Chapter Two, the relationship between the form of publication and editing system of KOYOSHA is verified. In KOYOSHA, TAKANASHI worked on editing mostly by his own efforts. The focal point of its activity was to produce and reproduce plates. Under his direction, two staff photographers took pictures of buildings and duplicated figures from foreign books. Through this production process, they were able to issue many illustrated books on architecture frequently.
In Chapter Three, KOYOSHA's goal to issue illustrated books on architecture is clarified by referring to variations of how to make plates. Duplicated plates from foreign books were understood in a positive sense, at first as a legitimate instance of the Occidental architecture, then as an object to show contemporaneity and/or immediacy of the modern movement in architecture, finally as an exemplar of “SHINKOU GEIJUTSU (emerging art)”. The purpose of communication using the photographs taken by company staff members shifted and deepened gradually from serving as a model of building types and building elements to , representing contemporaneity, peculiarity and spatiality based on tradition.
In Chapter Four, the publishing expertise of serial illustrated books on architecture as a whole is examined. Target audience of serial illustrated books was not only architects but also engineers and clients. Looking overall, each book has independent contents and is treated as equivalent, but on the other hand, they constitute an integral entirety as a whole like a catalog. Therefore, it becomes easy for the audience to find a book they are looking for. Also, it was intended to cultivate a sense of beauty among the audience by providing various visual materials.
Chapter Five is a conclusion. Publishing expertise of serial illustrated books on architecture by KOYOSHA is as bellow; the reason for assembling assorted photographs, drawings and sketches was to fulfill diverse tastes of the audience through enriching the architecture design language. The purpose of visual materials as the means of communication has changed gradually, from the model of style or building type to the sense of same age or beauty, and finally to the sense of space and new aesthetics. Through this process, the value of architecture as a medium had been heightened. The platform to share the diversity of architectural forms among the audience was created.
