Intensive Architecture Workshop in Tokyo 2025 (IAWT2025): Bridging Cultures, Disciplines and Design

Name of Event/Lecture

The Intensive Architecture Workshop in Tokyo 2025, held in June, brought together ten students from the Department alongside participants from Tokyo University of Science, Shibaura Institute of Technology, and Nagoya City University for an immersive 10-day experience. More than just a design studio, the workshop offered a rare opportunity for students from diverse majors such as architectural design, environmental design, and structural design to collaborate intensively across disciplinary boundaries. This unique format departed from the conventional studios found in architecture schools, encouraging fresh perspectives and fostering a richer, cross-cultural dialogue in design.

The design brief centered on reimagining the Japanese Sentō, or public bathhouse, which was once a cornerstone of local community life and is now slowly disappearing in modern Japan. By examining the Sentō as both a cultural artifact and a social space, students were challenged to reinterpret its relevance in today’s society, linking traditions of communal bathing with emerging trends in co-living and shared spaces. This approach not only deepened the students’ appreciation of Japanese cultural history but also sharpened their ability to apply design thinking to contemporary social issues.

A major highlight of the workshop was the opportunity to experience Japanese architecture school culture firsthand. Under the guidance of professors and guest lecturers, students engaged in lively critiques, exchanged perspectives across cultures, and learned to integrate design sensibilities shaped by diverse academic backgrounds. The collaboration continued beyond the studio, with evenings devoted to exploring Tokyo’s vibrant food scene alongside local students. These moments of cultural immersion not only broke down barriers but also made the workshop memorable for its lasting friendships as well as its architectural rigour.

Adding to the richness of the experience were exclusive visits to some of Japan’s famous architectural projects and firms. Students visited Kengo Kuma Associates’ office and projects such as Sou Fujimoto’s Musashino Art University Library, Junya Ishigami’s KAIT Plaza and Workshop, and Toyo Ito’s TAMA Art University Library. Site visits made possible by the workshop aided in transforming abstract concepts into tangible experiences, giving the students’ a rare insider’s view into Japanese architecture.

Ultimately, the workshop was more than an academic exercise; it was a cultural journey. By engaging with the traditions of the Sentō, collaborating with Japanese students from diverse disciplines, and exploring world-class architectural works, participants left with refined design skills, a deeper appreciation for cultural exchange, and lasting memories of Tokyo that extended far beyond the drawing board.

Launching the Workshop – Opening Lecture at Shibaura Institute of Technology

Group 1 Working Together at Shibaura Institute of Technology

Group 2 Working Together at Shibaura Institute of Technology

Group 3 Working Together at Shibaura Institute of Technology

Interim Review at Shibaura Institute of Technology

Group 4 Working Together at Tokyo University of Science

Group 5 Working Together at Tokyo University of Science

Guest lectures took place every evening for five days at Shibaura Institute of Technology

Students connecting and deepening friendships after the opening lecture

Final Review Session at Tokyo University of Science

This article was contributed by Celeste Chow Wei and Ng Xiu Yuan Ralf, both second-year students in the BA Architecture Programme. This event is supported by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry Singapore (JCCI).

Event Information

Intensive Architecture Workshop in Tokyo 2025

In-Person Sessions:

4 – 8 June 2025 at Shibaura Institute of Technology
11 –14 June 2025 at Tokyo University of Science

Online Sessions:

20 June and 27 June 2025 (Zoom, connecting Tokyo, Nagoya and Singapore)

Participating Universities, Professors and Students

National University of Singapore

Assoc Prof. Tsuto Sakamoto
Assist Prof. Frederick Chando Kim
Senior Lecturer Dr. Shin Yokoo
Students: 10 (9 Singaporean, 1 Chinese)

Tokyo University of Science

Prof. Nozomi Yoshizawa
Assoc Prof. Kozo Takase
Assoc Prof. Osamu Nishida
Students: 38 (32 Japanese, 4 French, 1 German, 1 Chinese)

Shibaura Institute of Technology

Assoc Prof. Rumi Okazaki
Students: 10 (10 Japanese)

Nagoya City University

Assoc Prof. Toshiaki Kimura
Students: 5 (5 Japanese)

Guest Lecturers

Yuichi Kato (Lecturer, Tohoku University of Art and Design)
Takahiro Endo (Takahiro Endo Architects)
Keishiro Tachi (Nikken)
Hiroki Kawashima (Fortec Inc.)