Work in Progress

Rhode Island School of Design instructor Aki Ishida, an architect and a design educator based in New York City, has an extensive history of teaching the Wintersession course, Architectonics, as RISD. The course attracts students across departments and at all levels of their education at the institution. While it serves as a sample of the rigor and expectations of the Department of Architecture for students in Foundation, it also provides a taste of life in the BEB to those pursuing study in other disciplines.

In 2011, Ishida and her teaching assistants, led a class of twelve students to design and install Luminous Washi Lanterns in the atrium of the Japan Society in New York. The installation took place during a 12-hour benefit event ‘Concert for Japan’ on April 9, 2011, and raised funds for the Earthquake Relief Fund. The students installed a piece designed through collaboration over the six-week Wintersession. During the event, Ishida and the students ran a full-day workshop for visitors that produced additional lanterns and complete the installation. The event was attended by over 2,400 guests.

The assignments during the semester were set up to study the qualities of light and shadow as they influence human experience with special emphasis on the relationship to ideas of Japanese perception and design of space. Students read and discussed Junichiro Tanizaki’s book “In Praise of Shadows” as a model for Japanese aesthetics. The lantern design focused and highlighted ephemeral and temporal qualities present in Japanese rituals and events, such as the use of tanzaku during tanabata, chochin during obon, and snow lanterns during Sapporo snow festivals.
The process and installation of the lanterns became a meaningful convergence of the exploration of Japanese culture and educating the public about design.

Instructor/Design Director:
Aki Ishida

Students in RISD Wintersession 2011 Architectonics Class:
Andrew Bieler
Adria Boynton*
Justin Clemons
Fernando Diaz-Smith*
Timothy Dobday*
Sama El-Saket
Jungwon Coco Han
Daniel Kim
Timothy Lee
Michael Todd
Hyeon Na Woo
Kendall Wrightson

*Design leads. Projects selected and developed for final installation.

Project Assistants:
Jason Keyes, 2009 TA
Ryan McCaffrey
Edward Tristan Mead, 2011 TA

Videographer:
Danny Kang

Special thanks to:
Lynnette Widder, RISD Architecture Department Head
Evita Yumul, 2007 TA
Alex McCargar, 2008 TA
Henry Zimmerman, 2010 TA
Eri Yamagata
Michelle Pena
Ariana Moir & Ryohei Yamamoto of Japan Society
All former students of Architectonics 2007 to 2011

Guest Critics:
Carter Blackwell, Andrew Liebchen, Chelsea Limbird, and James Martin

Luminous Washi Lanterns is funded by the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP) Education grant and RISD Architecture
Department. Mulberry paper provided in part by C2F and RISD Store. Wiring for lights by Katsura Construction, Inc.

Luminous Washi Lanterns was installed during CONCERT FOR JAPAN benefit event at Japan Society on April 9, 2011. 100% of proceeds went to Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. For more information, visit www.japansociety.org/concertforjapan.