Zen Garden Design: Mindful Spaces by Shunmyo Masuno - Japan's Leading Garden Designer

by Mira Locher, Shunmyo Masuno, Terunobu Fujimori (Foreword by)

Overview

Zen Buddhist priest Shunmyo Masuno understands that today's busy world leaves little time or space for self-reflection, but that a garden—even in the most urban of spaces—can provide some respite. In his words, "The garden is a special spiritual place where the mind dwells." With this in mind, Masuno has designed scores of spectacular Japanese gardens and landscapes with the aim of helping people achieve a balanced life in the 21st century.

This book explores Masuno's design process and ideas, which are integral to his daily Zen training and teachings. It features 15 unique gardens and contemplative landscapes completed in six countries over as many years—all thoughtfully described and documented in full-color photos and drawings. Readers will also find insights on Masuno's philosophy of garden design and a conversation between the designer and famed architect Terunobu Fujimori.

Zen Garden Design provides an in-depth examination of Masuno's gardens and landscapes—not just as beautiful spaces, but as places for meditation and contemplation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9784805315880
Publisher:	Tuttle Publishing
Publication date:	08/18/2020
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	1,089,065
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Mira Locher is an architect and professor who works in the U.S. and Japan. She studied at Smith College before receiving her Master of Architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania. After working for Team Zoo Atelier Mobile in Japan for seven years, she set up an architectural practice in the U.S. with Takayuki Murakami. Mira Locher is Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Manitoba (Canada). She is the author of Super Potato Design, Zen Gardens and Zen Garden Design.

Shunmyo Masuno is the head priest of Kenkohji, a Soto Zen Buddhist temple in Yokohama, as well as the principal and founder of Japan Landscape Consultants. He is a graduate of Tamagawa Universityand served his garden apprenticeship under the late Saito Katsuo, He founded Japan Landscape Consultants in 1982 and has received numerous awards for his landscape and garden designs, including the prestigious National Grand Prize from the Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture. He is a professor at Tama Art Universityand teaches and lectures internationally. Masuno is the author of more than 100 books on the practice and teachings of Zen Buddhism, as well as garden design and landscape architecture.

A native of Nagano-ken, Terunobu Fujimori is an architectural historian and architect and serves as the director of the Edo-Tokyo History Museum. He received his Ph.D. in architectural history at Tokyo Universityand is emeritus professor at Tokyo Universityand specially-appointed professor at Kogakuin University. Fujimori has authored numerous books on modern architecture, city planning, street observation, teahouses, and gardens. His architectural projects include the Nira House (Leek House), which won the Japan Art Grand Prix, and the Kumamoto Prefectural Agricultural UniversityDormitory, for which Fujimori received the prestigious Architectural Institute of Japan Award. He also designs and constructs "free-style" teahouses, including Takasugi-an, and others in Australia, Taiwan, Germany, England, Dubai, Denmark, and India.

Table of Contents

The Complexity of Zen Gardens Terunobu Fujimori 6

Introduction The Mature of Reality 8

A Note on Language 15

Part 1 Gardens in Private Residence 18

Private Residence, Shanghai, China Sansuitei $$$ 20

Private Residence, Kamakura, Japan Choshintei $$$ 26

Private Residence, Tangshan, China Kiontei $$$ 34

Private Residence, Yokohama, Japan Chokantei $$$ 40

Private Residence, Tokyo, Japan Rokkonshojo no Niwa 46

Private Residence, Java, Indonesia Suiei no Niwa 50

Cultivating Consciousness Shunmyo Masuno's Philosophy and Process of Garden Design 56

Part 2 Condominium Landscapes 68

Hisense Tianjin Condominiums, Qingdao, China Ryuuntei $$$ 70

The Green Collection Condominiums, Singapore Suigetsutei $$$ 78

The Pavilia Hill Condominiums, Hong Kong Sansui Seion Ari 84

The Nassim Condominiums, Singapore Seigetsutei $$$ 96

In Conversation: Designing with Ephemeral Materials and Enduring Nature: A Conversation with Shunmyo Masuno and Terunobu Fujimori 104

Part 3 Public and Private Spaces 120

Yokohama, Japan Zagetsu, Seifuen, Zagecsutei $$$ 122

Shenzhen, China Sogen no Ittekisui $$$ 130

Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai, China Enzuitei $$$ 136

Tencent Headquarters, Shenzhen, China En to En no Niwa $$$ 140

Koknese, Latvia Unmei no Teien $$$ 148

Endnotes 152

Glossary 155

Bibliography 159

Acknowledgments 160

Editorial Reviews

"…a deeper dive into Masunos design process and ideas, so if you're after something that's instructional as well as inspirational then this is [an] option for you." — Flowers Across Melbourne blog

"The text is superb—very complex thoughts written in an almost readily understandable fashion, and most enjoyable to read. And the illustrations are even better—assisted, I am certain, by the quality of the gardens being illustrated." —Shakkei Journal

"[Masuno's] ideas and design process, which are fundamental to his daily Zen practice and teachings, are explored through photographs, drawings and descriptive narrative." —ABC Gardening Australia magazine

From the Publisher