Takashi Yanai, FAIA is the “Y” in EYRC Architects, representing one of four partners heading up the award-winning, Los Angeles and San Francisco-based architecture firm. He’s been the Residential Studio Director since 2004 spearheading their single-family residence projects with his keen eye and masterful way of bringing about the relationship between man and nature through architecture. He has an ability to effortlessly infuse elements of Japanese design into that indoor/outdoor, California modern aesthetic, resulting in dream-worthy homes you’ll wish you owned. Before practicing architecture, Yanai worked in Tokyo as an editor at GA Houses where he embraced the perk of interacting with some of the best residential architects in the world. Currently, along with lecturing around the world, he’s a visiting lecturer at the USC School of Architecture, is on the A+D Museum’s Board of Directors, and keeps active in the AIA Committee of Design. When he’s not designing houses, he travels, loves photography, and keeps up a visually stunning and extremely popular Instagram account ? @t_yanai. Now it’s time to see what he’s chosen to share in this week’s Friday Five.
1. The tea ceremony

There is something to be a said for a slow deliberate ceremony that is all about human interaction. My grandmother practiced and taught the tea ceremony and so what I know began with her and her tea house in Chigasaki, not far from my home...