Toyo Ito during the archival hearing in 2019, as part of the Meanwhile in Japan series, Tokyo © CCA.
The Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) announced the addition of the early works of Toyo Ito to its archives. Ito is known for transcending the boundaries of architecture while also speaking out about social needs.
The CCA Collection includes ideas, provocations, inspirations, and trials and errors that have formed the basis of international research, exhibition and publication program. Containing more than 200 archival holdings, the collection has continued to grow over the years with the donation of works by international architects, historians, and critics that document the history, culture, and production of architectural ideas. According to the CCA, Ito’s decision to donate his archives follows an intention to continue encouraging new research into his work, while also putting it in dialogue with the other artifacts and bodies of work in the CCA Collection.
“The CCA is an architectural museum and research centre I have the utmost trust in. Upon this donation, I received requests from many Japanese architects and researchers, asking if it is possible to keep those archives in Japan. However, I have the confidence that CCA offers unparalleled accessibility for future researchers from around the world to study my works,” said Ito.
Ito was born in 1941 in Gyeongseong (now Seoul), Korea and graduated from the University of Tokyo. He then worked alongs...