In Japan, housing complexes are ubiquitous but most of them are nondescript and stand there for decades unappreciated. However, there are some wonderful people out there who uncover the special charms of such buildings. Today, PingMag had a passionate chat with Ken Oyama, a photographer and the director-general of the housing complex lovers’ website Housing and Urban Development Corporation, who showed us his just published Danchi no Kenkyu (An Assessment of the Housing Complexes) photo book. A housing complex guide for beginners!
Written by Chiemi
Translated by Natsumi Yamane
Ken, what exactly made you become interested in housing complexes?
Nothing in particular but I used to study urban development at university and I did an extensive research on certain towns. At one point, it occurred to me that no one paid attention to the town itself. Especially, apartment blocks were the prime examples of this. They are so big and yet they are never appreciated by anybody. At times, housing complexes had an appealing image but nowadays, it leaves a kind of gloomy impression. However, there are so many diverse forms and shapes…
The photos in your book were all taken from directly in the front, is that to neglect unnecessary details?
Yes, as soon as you look up or do anything special, a housing complex starts telling a story of people’s lives. But if you arrange the photos from the front like a catalogue, then there is a moment when you see its shape and nothing else. I’d say that that’s also the appeal of the photography.
There are many diverse types of apartment buildings, which one appeals to you most?
An ordinary apartment complex would have four or so stories but my favourites are the multistoried ones. Compared to low-rise ones, multistoried apartments are designed by various architects and therefore have a wider variety. It’s so big and yet it’s the high-rise buildings that plainly indicate the oddness in itself.
However, apartment blocks seem to have a much more inorganic, cold atmosphere compared to condominiums. Why is that so?
Housing complexes are a part of the infrastructure. Condominiums belong to architecture but apartment blocks are a kind of a border line between architecture and civil engineering. It doesn’t have much to do with market value and so on. It’s more of an infrastructure for living, and because it is an infrastructure, it lacks flair of any kind.
Oh, I see… Then with what should housing complex beginners start with?
Housing complexes have similar appearances and it’s hard to tell their individual attractions, but that is the best bit of housing complexes too. So you can perhaps start with taking pictures of around twenty or more blocks. I’m sure it’s the same with studying architecture but it’s never fun to start with its history or meaning. Instead, you can begin with its forms and shape, like “this is the similarity between this and that” or “this one’s got a ledge here.” Then after a while, you’ll start questioning all sorts of things…
Which one do you recommend from your photo book?
Maybe the Ukita Second Apartment Block. This blotch in the middle is great!! (laughs)
You referred to these obscure ledges as “blotches” in your book. What is their purpose?
It doesn’t matter what they are for!! Blotches are just blotches!!
OK, sorry….
To be honest, this is the mid-level tank to adjust the water pressure for upper and lower stories. With the condominiums, you would normally draw out the overall shape first and then come up with a space for the mid-level water tank to fit into it, but here, water tank is placed here simply because it’s necessary. That’s great, isn’t it….
Then you don’t really like this sort of thing?
Well, I’m not really sure about it…. I mean, there’s definitely something wrong here. But it is kind of touching…. Multistoried condominiums are pretty, it’s sometimes even sheathed in marble, and it’s like Ebi-chan (Yuri Ebihara) if I compare it with women. But this one is like a middle school kid who wore lipstick while her mum’s out….
Yes, I can see what you mean…. I personally like this one, what do you think?
This one has a great rugged texture that almost resembles a food grater. There are very few housing complexes of this size that has this kind of features. It’s the result of a brilliant access system!
Can you walk on the spaces next to its balconies?
That’s the ceiling of the corridor underneath and it’s called a skip floor that is placed on every other floors. The fact that they are trying to soften its rugged texture with the design of the staircases is favourable….
I’m starting to get the knack of how to appreciate the housing complexes! We’re so looking forward to your Great Housing Complex Exhibition at Ikejiri Institute of Design’s IID Gallery that goes with the launch of the photo collection! What can we see there?
This exhibition is assuming the format of an ordinary exhibition by laying out each photos next to boards with its details but if you read them carefully, it has things that’ll make you think “What the hell is this?” So please come in and have a laugh!
Ken, thank you for an interesting conversation today!
Ken Oyama’s “Great Housing Complex Exhibition” starts from May 17th, 2008. Don’t miss that one!
Cover of the new “Danchi no Kenkyu” photo collection, now on sale from Tokyo Shoseki.
Inside, look at this beautiful spread with detailed info about each complex.
Info:
Great Housing Complex Exhibition
Date: Saturday, May 17th – Sunday, May 25th, 2008. Open from noon until 7 p.m.
Venue: IID Gallery at the Ikejiri Institute of Design.
Address: 2-4-5 Ikeiri, Setagaya, Tokyo. Map.
Admission: Free
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