DISPOSITIFS et NOTIONS de l'espace architectural et urbain : croiser les spatialités française/japonaise, historiques et contemporaines – D&N

This research project aims to clarify and redefine the correspondence and relation between architectural devices and notions, which are essential elements of Japanese and French spatiality represented in places, sites, cities, monuments and architecture. Along with a general comparative research between devices and notions in the French and Japanese architectural cultures, two complementary comparative studies are also envisaged : comparison of architectural device between French architecture and Japanese one, and comparison of notion concerning space between French culture and Japanese culture. 1/ Researches concerning the notion are principally proceeded through the text documentation. Semantic discrepancies of implication found between two languages would be examined with special care keeping attention to the correspondence with concrete architectural representation i.e. device. 2/ Researches concerning the device as the spatial representation of notion are principally realized by field research in situ. This anthropological method permit us to read meanings hidden behind objects and establish correspondences with the notions. 3/ As to the conclusive reflection on the correspondence between device and notion in the French / Japanese architecture, we organize, with appropriate collaborator, one workshop and one symposium intended to be occasions for the mutual dialogue between French and Japanese spatiality. Especially concerning this reflection, this research project participate to JAParchi's publication project of the dictionary of the Japanese spatial notions. This research project has two particularities. The one is to combine textual investigation and field inquiry in the discipline of architectural research. We will attempt to analyze a certain architectural phenomenon through both two methods which let us know also discrepancies of implications of notion and devices in the French and/or Japanese culture. The other is our relative 'concept' which permit us to regard French or Japanese architectural phenomenon through French and Japanese 'concept'. With these two particularities, we expect to overcome the mystification and exoticism of the Japanese architectural culture which1960's saw through some Japanese famous literatures. What our research intend is a true mutual dialogue of French / Japanese cultures and of architectural device / notion. Concretely, this research proposes to redefine Japanese architectural devices through French notion, and vice versa, for example. The biggest result of this project would be bi-lingual publication of the dictionary of the Japanese spatial notions edited by JAParchi. A certain part of this publication is integrated to our research project, and almost all results of our research project can be used for this dictionary. Publication of the annotated French version of Kekkai no Bi (Art and Aesthetic of Space articulation), 1966 by ITOH Teiji, whose translation is in progress by Ph. BONNIN and M. NISHIDA, would be realized. This will marks a new attitude regarding the presentation of Japanese culture in Europe. The work of the annotation of ITOH's book can be done in the frame of our research project with a perfect compatibility of the project. A workshop at Kyoto Institute of technology and a symposium in Tokyo, coupled with publication of proceeding, and realized with representative French / Japanese researchers, will activate researches in this domaine. B3. Necessity and signification of the research collaboration with the counterpart country In the wider sense, this research project whishes to contribute to our contemporary global effort to attain a mutual understanding with cultural diversities and a common horizon of a true cultural dialogue in our global age. With this ambition, this research project aims to be a case study treating the French / Japanese culture. Our researches would be realized through investigations on the spatial. temporal, linguistic, mental, and physical mechanism represented in places, sites, cities, and architecture. So complementarities and collaborations of our two teams are inevitable for this research project, which envisage also a relative assessment of the French / Japanese spatial notions.