Kenji Imai

Kenji Imai (Japanese今井 兼 次; * January 11, 1895 in the Municipality Akasaka, Tokyo, Tokyo Prefecture, † May 20, 1987 in Tokyo ) was a Japanese architect and professor.

Life

Kenji Imai graduated in 1919 to study architecture at Waseda University in Tokyo and started there after his university career. From 1926 to 1927 he toured Europe and studied the more recent architectural trends in the Soviet Union, Scandinavia, Italy and Spain. Here he met, among others, Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius and Ernst May 1926 and attended the Goetheanum is still under construction. Imai was especially impressed with the work of the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí and played a leading role in the introduction of this style to Japan. The style influenced him more and more, especially when he converted to Catholicism after the death of his wife in 1948. This can be seen particularly in the memorial and museum of the 26 martyrs that he designed in Nagasaki in 1962 for the 100th anniversary of the canonization of the martyrs of Nagasaki. His works can be classified into Expressionism most likely.

Imai's significance lies less in the buildings created by him as his work as a university teacher, a position he held since 1937. In addition to Gaudí's style, he made known Rudolf Steiner's architectural style in Japan and created in his country the understanding and awareness of the modern architecture in Europe. Imai taught until 1965 as a professor of architecture at Waseda University.

Kenji Imai received various awards, including one of the Architectural Institute of Japan ( Nihon Kenchiku Gakkai ) and the price of the Japanese Academy of Arts.

Works

• Library of Waseda University (1925 )
• Nezu Museum ( engl. The Nezu Institute of Fine Arts ), Tokyo ( 1954)
• Memorial and Museum of the 26 martyrs, Nagasaki (1962 )
• Tōkagakudō (English Tokado Imperial Palace, a concert pavilion on the grounds of the Imperial Palace ), Tokyo ( 1966)
• Toyama Museum of Art, Kawajima, Saitama Prefecture (1970 )