Confronting one's common sense through one's body at "Mitaka Tenmei Hanten Jyutaku In Memory of Helen Keller
Exploring R&D material from the field of art/design (No.2)

In Memory of Helen Keller" (hereinafter referred to as "Mitaka Tenmei-Hinkaku Jutaku") is a unique housing complex in a residential area near the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, about 10 minutes by bus from the south exit of Musashi Sakai Station on the JR Chuo Line in Mitaka, Tokyo. The colorful and geometric structure is a work of art by artists/architects Shusaku Arakawa and Madeline Gins. The colorful, geometric structures piled up on top of each other are far from the appearance of a typical house, but, to the surprise of many, they are actually livable. The building is used for rent, lodging, telework, and tours, with programs designed to allow visitors to experience the work even if they are not residents.

So this time, we participated in the "building tour" held irregularly every month at Mitaka Tenmei Reversal Residence.

Experience a work of art as if it were "home".

At the beginning of the building tour, we were shown to a room in Mitaka Tenmei Henshi with other applicants. As soon as you enter the entrance, you are greeted by an interior that is as colorful as the exterior and an uneven floor. The floor has a rough texture, and you may think to yourself, "Oh my God, I'm wearing stockings... will they get stained? and I, who was not sure where to put my feet. (Note: I heard that disposable slippers were available, and I should have taken them...) But that aside, the curatorial staff starts to give us a lecture.

After a brief explanation of Shusaku Arakawa + Madeline Gins and their works, the curator made one request. After the explanation of Shusaku Arakawa + Madolyn Gins and their works, the curator asked us to do one thing: "Please think of this place as your home. What would be convenient? What would be inconvenient? Please think about that.

A long time ago, I heard that a good way to appreciate art is to think of it as if it were placed in your living room. This is exactly what I did when I thought of the Mitaka Tenmei Hanten Jutaku as my home. By viewing artworks not as "works of art," but rather as being within one's own territory, one can face them with even greater sincerity. Recently, there have been an increasing number of interactive museums, but there are not so many that are so closely related to our daily lives.

The house teaches you how to use your body.

As I walked around on the uneven, sloping floor, thinking, "Which room should I sleep in?" and "There are so many slopes, how should I store things?" As I walked around on the uneven and sloping floor, the curator told me, "The environment of the house teaches you how to use your body, and that is what this uneven floor is designed for. Indeed, the Mitaka Tenmei Hanten Jutaku (Reversible Destiny Residence) requires visitors to move in ways that they would not normally do in a normal house. Not only walking on the uneven floor, but even just storing one's belongings (you will have to wait and see what kind of storage method is used) is an extraordinary experience. At least for a desk worker like me, whose friend is the computer, it is a sobering reminder of how routine our daily lives are made up of routine movements.

What a strange feeling that the house stimulates every perception.Mitaka Tenmei Hanten Jyutaku official websiteIn the following section, it is written as follows
"Every one of us is different and our bodies change from day to day. Just by spending a little time in a given environment and condition without taking it for granted, what was previously thought to be impossible may become possible = a reversal of heavenly destiny."

Usage" of Mitaka Tenmei Houses

The pamphlet handed to us at the end of the tour described the "usage" of Mitaka Tenmei Henshin Jutaku.
"Think of each of the panels that make up the floor as a piano keyboard, an organ keyboard, a xylophone, or a small drum."
"At least once a day, wander around the dwelling unit, which is darkened completely."
"Treat every room as if it were an extension of who you are, as if it were yourself."
...
When I read through the 32 usages, I wondered if I would feel something different if I followed these usages, and at the end I found the word "continue. The last word is "continue," which means, "Please make and complete the rest of this work by yourselves.

Come to think of it, the child visitors were enjoying Mitaka Tenmei Hattori Jutaku as if it were a familiar park. Children develop their own "use" of the house on the spot.

Do you want to live, and why?

After the interview, I thought to myself, "I would love to live in a house like this, just once! while the accompanying cameraman said, "I could never live in such a house. The differences in opinion are unavoidable, as they are the result of differences in ideas and common sense, such as what makes people feel comfortable and what they want in a residence. What is important is to look deeper into the "want to live/not want to live," and ask "Why is that? The important thing is to get to the bottom of "wanting to live/don't want to live" and find out "why". In this way, you may be able to see the depths of yourself that you have not noticed before.

Let's go on a building tour first.

If you are interested in Mitaka Tenmei Henshin Jutaku, you should first attend a building tour. We were told various things during the building tour, but we have withheld a great deal of what we learned because we thought it would be better to know after actually visiting and experiencing the facility. Please visit the site and talk to us in detail.
And if you like it, why not sign up for a telework plan that allows you to use the room as a telework room or conference room? You may be able to generate R&D ideas in an unusual environment. In addition, a 4-day/3-night short stay program is also available.

The works of Shusaku Arakawa + Madeline Gins will be exhibited in Gifu, Japan.Yoro Tenmei Reversal Siteand Okayama, Japan.Nagi Town Museum of Contemporary ArtBut you can also experience it.

For now, you should wear comfortable clothes. Feel the works with your whole body.

name

Mitaka Tenmei Hantei Jyutaku In Memory of Helen Keller

address (e.g. of house)

2-2-8 Osawa, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo 181-0015

remarks

For more information on event participation and housing use, please contactOfficial Sitefor more information.

© 2005 Reversible Destiny Foundation. Reproduced with permission of the Reversible Destiny Foundation.