HOME >ARCHITECTS VOICE >建築は、人生を変える装置になる。金城司が追求する、暮らしに寄り添う建築のかたち
Architecture Can Become a Device That Changes Lives
Tsukasa Kinjo’s Pursuit of Architecture That Supports Everyday Life
Born the third son of Shinkichi Kinjo, a giant of Okinawan architecture, Tsukasa Kinjo says he had already aspired to become an architect from an early age. He studied form and design at Musashino Art University, which might suggest an architect pursuing seemingly geometric and abstract “design,” but the truth is quite the opposite. His highest priorities are the “flow of daily life,” developed through thorough simulations of residents’ movements, and the comfort of the spaces and time they inhabit. Rather than starting with form, he believes the necessities of daily life should be refined through the plan, with the final form emerging naturally as an inevitable result. Convinced that “architecture has the power to change people’s lives,” he draws on his own experiences to pursue a functional spatial beauty that deeply supports the lives of its inhabitants.
——— What defines “Okinawan architecture” for you?
Tsukasa Kinjo: As a student, I was devoted to modernism and drawn to abstract, box-like architecture. Yet, faced with Okinawa’s intense sunlight, I struggled with the question of whether such a style could truly support comfortable living. A turning point came when I encountered architect Katsufumi Kubota’s residential work, “Y-HOUSE.” Seeing how its walls and eaves were skillfully composed, I became convinced that what is often called “Okinawan character” could coexist with modernism. After becoming independent, my experience designing a house in a densely built-up area of Naha (vol. 063) greatly broadened my thinking. I discovered the paradoxical comfort of protecting privacy by deliberately “closing” the space to the cluttered surroundings, while at the same time being able to open the windows wide. By reading the essence of a place and applying it to design, I realized that architecture can be freed from the stereotype of “Okinawan character,” allowing Okinawa’s richness in a broader sense to emerge quietly through architectural design.
A starting point in his journey as an architect. “Y-HOUSE,” encountered during his student years, had a major influence on his subsequent design philosophy. (Photo courtesy of Kubota Architecture Atelier)
A house that marked a turning point after he established his own practice. By deliberately “closing” the space in a densely built-up area, he secured privacy while discovering the paradoxical comfort of being able to open the windows wide.
A work that reads the essence of its setting and quietly reflects the unique richness of the place in its architecture, moving beyond fixed ideas of what it means to be “Okinawan.”
——— How do you think architecture should respond to Okinawa’s climate?
Tsukasa Kinjo: I respect advanced technologies and data, but I do not rely on numbers alone. What matters is reconstructing, through modern technology, the “intuitive correctness” cultivated by our predecessors—such as the placement of deep eaves and small inner courtyards. For example, simply adding a small inner courtyard to a bathroom can dramatically change how air flows and moisture disperses. I believe that carefully feeding these physical sensations back into the design is what creates true comfort beyond measurable performance.
——— What do you consider most important in your design work?
Tsukasa Kinjo: In residential design, I place the greatest emphasis on the flow of daily life and the quality of the time spent within a home. During the planning stage, I thoroughly simulate the residents’ movements, examining whether household routines and the flow of daily life feel natural. I have never designed with a predetermined form and then tried to fit the space into it. The client’s wishes and the essential nature of their lifestyle are refined through the plan and ultimately take shape as one coherent, unwavering work of architecture. I believe that a space completed through this process becomes a strong foundation that supports the way its residents live.
——— How has living in your own home, “Surga,” changed your architectural philosophy?
Tsukasa Kinjo: Architecture has the power to dramatically change the mindset and behavior of the people who live in it. Living in my own home taught me this firsthand. I used to focus mainly on the comfort of the interior, but after moving into this house, my awareness turned toward the world outside—the environment itself. As I watched the sunrise over the horizon and the changing colors of the sky, I began to understand through my own physical experience, rather than through words, that I am part of the universe and the laws of nature.
This experience greatly changed my behavior. I began preparing breakfast with care and sharing those meaningful moments on social media. I also became increasingly concerned about the litter on the beach before me and began taking part in regular beach cleanups. Eventually, I became involved in improving the environment as a member of the local landscape advisory committee. Architecture is not merely a physical object; it can become a “device for life” that guides people toward better ways of living and values.
“Surga,” his own home, changed the way he lives. It prompted him to rethink everyday life and revealed the possibilities of architecture.
A conversation with Mr. Kubota for a magazine feature. There is still so much to learn from him about Okinawa’s appeal and the unique qualities of this place.
——— What message would you like to share with the young architects who will shape the future?
Tsukasa Kinjo: I hope you will trust your own sensibility and move forward without being intimidated by the voices around you. When I was building my own home, “Surga,” I heard many people say that “a building made of steel and glass might not suit Okinawa.” Yet, once I began living there, I experienced an indescribable sense of wonder, and a rich quality of time unfolded—one that was the complete opposite of society’s fixed assumptions.
Of course, it is important to listen to other people’s advice, but I believe it would be a terrible waste to hand over the course of your own life to others. Do not focus only on immediate convenience or rationality. Continue patiently along the path you truly believe is right. That persistence will one day lead to unwavering confidence. Architecture holds the power to transform not only how people live, but even the future of a community. I hope you will embrace the hard work, believe in that potential, and continue to take on the challenges before you with everything you have.
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<Perspective>
金城司氏にとって建築は、単なる造形物ではなく、住む人の行動や価値観を劇的に変容させ、その人生をより良い方向へと導く「生の基盤」である。動線や居心地といった極めて身体的な感覚を設計の起点とし、生活の本質に深く寄り添う彼のスタイルは、沖縄の風土におけるモダンと機能性の高度な融合を体現している。自邸での生活体験を糧に、建築の価値を個の空間から周辺環境や社会活動へと拡張させていくその真摯な姿勢は、建築家の役割が単なる空間の創造主である以上に、社会の質を能動的に向上させる「実践者」であることを鮮明に示している。
金城 豊 / TUTAKA KINJOU
JO First-Class Architect Office
Director / First-Class Architect
Born in Haebaru Town, January 1972
Graduated from Musashino Art University, 1995
Served as an instructor in the Architecture Department at Tachikawa Art Academy, 1994
Co-founded JO First-Class Architect Office with his older brother, Utaka Kinjo, 1999
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