Learn About 'Ma' In Contemporary Japanese Architecture This Week

HOLLYWOOD, CA — Japan House Los Angeles, the Hollywood museum dedicated to showcasing Japanese art, design and technology, will host the second of four webinars this Thursday about the concept of "ma," and how it appears in Japanese contemporary architecture.

"Ma" roughly translates to "negative space," and is a major tenet in Japanese minimalist design that uses absence to evoke deep emotions. Often seen in architecture and other visual art forms, it can also be applied to music, social settings or even more.

"However, it’s not just about 'minimalism' or 'tidiness,'" Japan House Los Angeles added. "The massive popularity of Marie Kondo in the West seems to focus on only one part of the equation - decluttering - when instead, Kondo’s method can be connected to the history of “ma” - making emptiness into a substance itself. A 'toko-no-ma' is a literal empty space that is built into traditional Japanese sitting rooms - a display alcove typically filled with a scroll, bonsai tree, or other art object."

During Thursday's event, Manabu Chiba, Professor of Tokyo University and Principal of Chiba Manabu Architects, will share his views about the role of "ma" in the design of contemporary public space, where "ma" is translated as “Relationship/Distance between people." The event will be hosted by architecture professors Hitoshi Abe and Ken Tadashi Oshima, and will include an audience Q&A after the discussion.

Thursday's webinar will run from 6 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Tickets are free and interested residents can sign up here.