Evidently I have not had time to update the blog and alas, my time here is almost up!
For those of you interested here's a little blog post that I made on the GENETO blog.

Post for a Geneto blog:

I have just finished three months at Geneto as an intern. In retrospect, it has been an extremely short three months. Coming to Geneto has been a very interesting experience for me, especially in terms of living and working in Japan for the first time in my life. Although I am Japanese by blood, I have lived in London my whole life, and so, although in my mind the cultural differences were clear, in reality what I experienced was a world of difference. I have grown fond of Japan in many respects, and have learnt a great deal about architecture and the profession of architecture here.

The most important aspect that I feel I can take home is the change of attitude I have come to have towards architecture. Not to see it as a mere profession (which isn’t reason enough to be able to survive within architecture either way) but to see it as a way of life. The team at Geneto, live and breathe architecture, and it is an integral part their daily life. Whether it be posting something on facebook or meeting with friends. The center is architecture. Obviously, passion isn’t enough to exist within architecture. One must have a clear perspective and role within the professional landscape, stance towards architecture and a comprehensive approach towards designing and planning.

The impression I got from observing and working at Geneto is that they do not want to continue to build something that has already been built but to create new ideas and a new way of living, and a fresh approach to interacting with architecture. I can recall on how different members of the team explained to me that architecture is not something that is supposed to be built from the outside in, but the very opposite. It starts from what is in ones grasp, and their daily activities. While this may not be a new idea, it is something that is not yet widely implemented, nor is it successfully achieved with ease. I believe that this bold attitude of stretching the boundaries of what is acceptable and popular by the general public is what brings a paradigm shift within architecture. In turn this defines the way we live and interact with our surroundings.

I have been thoroughly impressed by each member of the Geneto team, through their diligence and steadfastness towards their work. It’s definitely something that will continue to push and inspire me as I go back to London to further my career and studies. Although they work hard, they also know how to play hard! I have many fond memories of my time here and will return to London with many interesting anecdotes. Many times the members referred to the team as the ‘Geneto family’, which it really is. Each member has united consciousness in working as one body and the closeness between the members is uncommon in an architectural office. I have received much more than my fair share of kindness and care from each person in the Geneto family and feel gratitude to each member, and feel fortunate that I had the chance to spend the last three months here. I wish the best of luck to Geneto. Thank you. I will continue to do my best when I return to London.

5000 miles across the ocean

So I have settled in to Geneto Architects Studio and while struggling to use these asian formatted keyboards, am sat here in the office at 10am scrambling together a few words for you.

In short, despite my ridiculous schedule of a 10 to 10 day, Monday to Saturday I am surviving and enjoying/gaining.

Coming to my motherland is refreshing, with many unexpected cultural suprises. Even being Japanese and having a relatively rounded understanding of Japan and its cultural niggles, its taken some getting used to.

Anyway, explaining all that might get lengthy so I will post more later, and apologies about the punctuation. I cant for my mothers life find the apostrophe key.

Much love.

Light of my day, and secretly, the fire of my loins.

I woke up at noon and spent the day doing laundry, discovering the genius of Justin Vernon, and writing about the woes of my week. Is that wrong?
It isn't to say that I do this everyday. No no no, grace has blessed me with an uneven and fussy schedule.

I currently work as a bar tender, although thoroughly uncharacteristic of me and despite the late hours and the drunken babble of merry customers, I enjoy it. It pushes me out of my cushy plateau of comfort, and stretches me, and helps me feels mortal. Something that has been lacking in the numerous other jobs I've been at this year.

Why then, you ask, do I continue to trudge through low-wage jobs with a fancy BA? My friend, there is a purpose to everything.
I have finally found something that will propel me in my desired direction! An unpaid internship in Tokyo with GENETO Architects.

A slight anti-climax perhaps, and alas, unpaid being the keyword here, means that I have to save silly amounts of money to survive over yonder.
A wide compromise from the original master-plan but a tug in the right direction nonetheless.

The ticket is booked, and thanks to a radiated Tokyo, it came in hand rather cheaply. I leave in a month, and although the excitement and anxiety has not set in yet, I know myself well enough to know that it will creep up on me like a stealthy vagabond robbing of my sanity and self composure. By that, I obviously mean excitement. I leave in a month , so plenty of time for that.

I must end this post as randomly as I started it. It's not an advertisement per se, but listen to me when I say, Justin Vernon, today you are the light my life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMq0AL3lzbs&feature=channel_video_title

Much love.

The climb and the fall

I am struggling up a great wall, much like a rock climber clambering up an epic and fearsome cliff face. There are others, many of them, but I am puzzled by them gliding effortlessly up it. I am slightly aghast at the great depths below me. No. To be frank, I am petrified and rather choosy as to where I place my feet and hands. To my brief annoyance ,I even see my brother speed past to my right and disappear up ahead. The thought is quickly replaced by the fact that I am, in fact, climbing up something at absurd height. One slip and I am a reformed splatter of lifeless flesh.

Then, I see someone fall. He falls gracefully and with purpose. There are others. They all fall with resolute determination and courage. I do not know if this is the right thing to do, but I can not go any higher. I have reached my dire limits. Cowardly as I am, I decide to fall. I let go and fall. Darkness.

I wake up. Yes it's a dream. It's one of those dreams where you are glad to be sane and sound, at ground level and in your bed.

Curiosity and boredom urge me to better understand the dream:
"To dream that you are climbing up something signifies that you are trying to or you have overcome a great struggle. It also suggests that your goals are finally within reach. Climbing also means that you have risen to a level of prominence within the social or economic sphere."

Disregarding the clear idiocy of the 'prominence within the social or economic sphere' part, I am sat here pondering, or cringing rather, at the uncanny correlation of it to my waking realities.

No. I didn't get the job.

I was climbing the mountain of the world of architectural snobbery, and I almost reached the pinnacle. But I decided to fall instead. It wasn't me, I wasn't ready to become another computer bound CAD rat yes man. No, I kid. Obviously falling wasn't my choice. It was just another turn of life. They decided that they needed someone with 'more experience'. Which is puzzling and mysterious is its own sense. One would think that ones cv is checked for previous experience before one is called only to be rejected, to avoid silly hopes and the anguish of waiting.

'Falling is an indication of insecurities, instabilities, and anxieties. You are feeling overwhelmed and out of control in some situation in your waking life'.

Bang on. Although it doesn't explain the grace with which the others fell. Maybe they no longer had the will to continue. The 'relinquished'. I do not recall in what manner I fell as I was slightly preoccupied with the thoughts of imminent death. However, I am sure that I have not given up yet. I will rise again, life will go on and more opportunities will arise. Anyone struggling in a similar situation, fear not, and heed my call. You are not alone dammit!

Although I did not cry, I had high hopes. And I did a fair bit of moping.

Life considers taking a turn

I realise somehow that this blog has turned from something with purpose to something quite directionless and vacant. That probably reflects my tumbleweed vistas of architectural life.

Since graduation and numerous non-architecturally related ventures, I have only had but the slightest of tastes concerning experience in an architecture office. One of which I spent two weeks in Brouard Architects, which, don't get me wrong, was a great experience, where surprisingly I learnt a lot. But left me hungry for more. Like a hopeless vagabond looking for an oasis after downing his flask-full of refreshing fluids. Or not.

I really hate to dramatize things further but since then I've found myself in a deathtrap of meaningless work, repeating the steps of needing money and not having time to look for a real job and needing more money etc. That isn't to say I haven't been lazy. Although I have to point out that I have been looking for work, which shows the difficult climate of job availability...blablabla. Or maybe I'm just trying to defend the poor excuse for a life I've had in the past 6+ months.

This dusty reality ALMOST blew over when, I received a reply from HASKOLL Architects last week. A positive response this time, and a chance for an interview. Which is the primary reason I'm writing here, taking some time to switch to archi-mode and dust off my portfolio, procrastinating , naturally, and writing the token blog entry that possibly one maybe two people will read. Maybe I'm pushing my luck, but I don't care.

I just hope this interview goes well and that I can once again re-engage in the world which I set out to enter years ago. I might have possibly started to emerge from my 'early 20's life crisis', encouraged by the realization that I want to earn my money designing something. Architecture primarily, vague? very, but I have settled for roughly that for now.

If I don't return here within a month or so you can assume that the interview didn't work out and I am sitting in the middle of nowhere as a samurai on a set for '47 Ronin' wondering what the hell I'm doing with my life.


Work the past month: Sitting on set for '47 Ronin' as an extra waiting for Carl Rinsch to get it right.