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Early life and education
editMoriyama has described his experiences in internment camps as miserable. During this time, his mother experienced a miscarriage, in which Moriyama then grieved the loss of a potential younger brother. He looked for a place for escape and solitude, in which he decided to build a treehouse outside of camp, as a lookout point. He made friends with Canadian farmers who supplied him with lumber and tools to build. He describes his experience of finding escape as such:[1]
"In despair, I decided to bathe in the Slocan River on the other side of a little mountain away from the camp. The water was glacial, but it was better than hot tears. To see who might be coming, I built an observation platform. Soon I found myself wanting to build my first architectural project, a tree house, without being found out by the RCMP. I used just an axe as a hammer, an old borrowed saw, six spikes, some nails, a rope, and mostly branches and scraps from the lumberyard. It was hard work building it by myself, and it was a lesson in economy of material and means.
That tree house, when finished, was beautiful. It was my university, my place of solace, a place to think and learn."]
After the war, his family reunited with his father and they resettled in Hamilton, Ontario, where he attended Westdale Secondary School and worked in a pottery factory. Ambidextrous, he was able to finish his piecework quickly, and his bosses allowed him to use his extra time to study for school.
During his years in University, he ran into his childhood friend Sachi from Vancouver. When they began to date, he knew immediately that she was the one he was going to marry. He told her this many times, but she just laughed. She never believed him. They married in 1954. Together, they had two sons, Ajon and Jason Moriyama. [2]
His son Jason is now partner in the firm.
His sons, Ajon and Jason, became principals at Moriyama + Teshima Architects, after Raymond Moriyama retired in 2003. Since then, in 2013, Ajon Moriyama founded Ajon Moriyama Architect, doing independent work in Toronto.[3]
Career and awards
editMoriyama's first large project as an independent Architect was the Ontario Science Centre, located in Toronto. This was built in 1964. [4]
After years of working independently as an architect, in 1970 Moriyama co-founded a private practice in Toronto with Ted Teshima, Moriyama & Teshima Architects. Some of their notable early projects include the Scarborough Civic Centre from 1973, and the Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library from 1977. Both of these projects won Governor General's Medals.[5] Moriyama has been heavily involved in Japanese cultural influence in Western society. He is a part of the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, as well as the Order of Ontario.[4] Many of Moriyama's architectural awards recognize his excellency in materiality, landscape, and urban design. Some of his core values as an architect involve the principles of designing for human scale and human functionality.[6]
In 2010, he won the Sakura Award, for his impact and dedication in the promotion of Japanese culture worldwide.[4]
Moriyama retired in 2003.[7]
Most notable projects
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This was Moriyama's first notable project as an independent architect. It was built in 1969. Moriyama incorporated Confucius philosophies into his design, building on the ideas of tactile and experiential learning. The Science Centre functions as a place for visitors to experiment hands-on with installations.
The glass facade of the front entrance has a large, exposed steel cable structure. This gesture immediately involves visitors to experience the engineering and science behind architecture, an example of experiential learning in itself. The interior lends itself to flexibility, with large open spaces fit for various installations, exhibits, and large crowds.[8]
Canadian Embassy in Tokyo
editMoriyama designed this building during his time with Moriyama + Teshima. It was built in 1991. The prominent concept of this building is the "tree house", gaining inspiration from his childhood years spent in Japanese internment camps in Vancouver. He replicated the feeling of youthfulness and magic of the treehouse he first built while in camp.[1] His intention here were to enable a place of social connection and welcoming for all those visiting the Embassy. [1] The form resembles that of a temple.[4] On the lower half, a large solid mass of concrete with deep set windows, and above it, an asymmetrical glass peaked roof creates a light, sculptural contrast. Adjacent to the building, is the Akasaka Imperial Grounds and the Takahashi Memorial Park, in which the building could not overcast in shade, hence, restricting its shape capabilities.[4]
Moriyama + Teshima designed the Bata Shoe Museum and was built in 1995. It is recognizable by its angled trapezoidal limestone walls, and pyramid-like glazing on the front face. The interior reflects the angularity of the outside, with large open spaces for exhibitions with tilted walls. The interior is mostly wood, with "floating" display boxes with hidden supports similar to the grand wooden staircase in the centre of the room.
This project won the City of Toronto Urban Design Award of Excellence in 1997.[9]
- Canadian War Museum (2005)
- National Museum of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh (1999)
- Seneca College's Seneca@York campus Stephen E. Quinlan Building in Toronto (1999)
- John Labatt Visual Arts Centre, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario (1993)
- Ottawa City Hall (1990)
- North York Central Library (1987)
- Museum London in London, Ontario (1980)
- Peterborough Public Library, Peterborough, Ontario (1980)
- Toronto Reference Library (1977)
- Scarborough Civic Centre (1973)
- Health Services Building, University of Waterloo (1968)
- Harvest Bible Chapel, Markham (1967)
- Civic Garden Centre (now Toronto Botanical Garden), Toronto (1965)
- L'Amoreaux Collegiate Institute (1971)
- Albert Campbell Collegiate Institute (1976)
- Gordie Howe International Bridge (planned - not built)
- Toronto French School additions (2015)
Bibliography
edit- Welcome to the Tree House!: The Architecture of Raymond Moriyama and His Life Comparison as an Interned Japanese Canadian with Artist William Allister as a POW in Japan, University of British Columbia. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- Raymond Moriyama , Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- A Fine Balance: The Art and Science of Architecture, McGill University. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- Moriyama & Teshima: architecture as a work of life: Canadian Architects. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
- Liscombe, R. W. Moriyama, Raymond. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- Architecture, meaning and values: Raymond Moriyama and the new Metropolitan Toronto Library. Vastokas, Joan M. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
- ^ a b c Creighton, Millie (2016). "Welcome to the Tree House!: The Architecture of Raymond Moriyama and His Life Comparison as an Interned Japanese Canadian with Artist William Allister as a POW in Japan" (PDF). Japan and Canada in Comparative Perspective.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Architect Raymond Moriyama on internment: Canada's stories". www.macleans.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- ^ "Ajon Moriyama". Japanese Canadian Artists Directory. 2017-08-03. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- ^ a b c d e "Raymond Moriyama | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- ^ "Raymond Moriyama | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- ^ "A Fine Balance: The Art and Science of Architecture". mcgillnews.mcgill.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-29.
- ^ Raymond Moriyama, Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ "Ontario Science Centre turns 50, still as hands-on as ever. But a digital world is posing challenges". thestar.com. 2019-09-26. Retrieved 2020-03-22.
- ^ "Toronto Architectural Conservancy - TO Built = Bata Shoe Museum". www.acotoronto.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-26.