SHIRAI Seiichi

白井晟一 (1905 – 1983)

Japanese architect who was along with MURANO Tôgo and TANIGUCHI Yoshirô one of the leading architects who worked on Japanese-style houses in the Showa period (1926-1989) | 1905 born in Kyôto | 1928 graduates from “Kyoto Higher Polytechnic School” | 1930 studies art history (later on Gothic architecture) in the department of philosophy at the “University of Heidelberg”, Germany | 1931 transfers to the “University of Berlin” and becomes involved in the left-wing movement | 1937 moves to Tôkyô | 1943 builds his own house and moves there | 1960 attents the “World Design Conference” in Tôkyô | 1969 receives the “Architectural Institute of Japan Award”, meets MAEKAWA Kunio, a friendship began that would last for the rest of his life | 1983 died in Kyôto