1. Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to clarify Hiroshi Ohe's “Ai(Ma)”. While making on many Noh theaters in the modern era, Hiroshi Ohe developed his own theory of architecture, with particular emphasis on Japanese traditional style, focusing and on its essence. Ohe's “Ai(Ma)” of his discourses has been continuously used from 1961 to 1985. Therefore, the character of the meaning and the position in his architectural thought have not been clarified. In this research, through analysis of Ohe's discourse, we offer an interpretation of Ohe's concept of “Ai(Ma)”.
2. Characteristics of “Ai(Ma)”
First, in Chapter 2, three characteristics of “Ai(Ma)” are laid out; (1) temporal, (2) spatial, (3) ambiguous. Second, the role of “Ai(Ma)” as an interval sandwiched between two things, derived from his assertion that the concept of “Ai(Ma)” is reflected in the words of “Ma” and “Ma dori (floor plan)” in his architecture. Third, “Ai(Ma)” for Ohe is related to the importance of the invisible dimension as utilizing the concept of “inner problem” or “mind problem”.
3. “Ai(Ma)” related to architecture
In Chapter 3, we focused on the description of concrete architectural “Ai(Ma)” that corresponded to “the question of how to express the problem of mind” as clarified in Chapter 2. “Ai(Ma)” in Noh drama has both temporal and spatial meanings, and it is hypostatized only after it includes both of them in actual architecture. In addition, Ohe concretely refers to elements that create “Ai(Ma)” as “structure” and “decoration”. The method that creates “Ai(Ma)” is “the liberation of expression goes both ways” by a combination of “structure” and “decorative material”. “Ai(Ma)” was shown to be a result that was led to this “mind problem”, to “how to put out as expression”. The “dimension of mind” and the “mind problem” cannot be instantiated in architecture without disciplined practice and repetition.
4. Position of “Ai(Ma)” in Hiroshi Ohe's architectural thought
In Chapter 4, Ohe had a sense of crisis that modern architecture was losing essential characteristics and emphasizing exclusively its own internal modernist logic. Ohe's architectural thinking was guided by the necessity of discerning what was missing from modernist architecture; has ideal was to create his own modernist architecture that didn't suffer from this lack. This concept of “Ai(Ma)” was crucial to this project.
5. Conclusion
Characteristics of Ohe's “Ai(Ma)” that is clarified through this paper are as follows.
“Ai(Ma)” has three characteristics that (1) temporal, (2) spatial, (3) ambiguous. “Ai(Ma)” was shown to be a result that was led to this “mind problem”, to “how to put out as expression”. The “dimension of mind” and the “mind problem” cannot be instantiated in architecture without disciplined practice and repetition. Ohe's architectural thinking was guided by the necessity of discerning what was missing from modernist architecture; has ideal was to create his own modernist architecture that didn't suffer from this lack. “Ai(Ma)”is considered to be an essential thing indispensable for Ohe's architectural works.
