Frank Lloyd Wright was influenced by nature and Japanese architecture, but to what extent can Japanese architecture influence the use of nature and space in some of his works such as the Unity Temple, Fallingwater, or Taliesin?
After analyzing Japanese aesthesis, such as Shinto and Buddhism, as well as traditional aspects of Japanese architecture, this article will clarify Wright’s relation to nature and space in his works, and finally study several edifices from Wright: the Unity Temple, Fallingwater, and Taliesin. This will draw a conclusion on Japanese architecture influencing the use of nature in these works.
Most of Japanese aesthetic has its roots in religion, such as the Shinto religion, and Buddhism. These two religions shaped Japanese architecture.
Different from Buddhism, Shinto believes that a kami (deity) exists in virtually every natural object or phenomenon , such as volcanoes, mountains, waterfalls, mountains, trees, or even rocks. Shrine buildings are situated according to the environment. Indeed, interest is giving to blending the architecture into its surrounding natural environment. A lot of Japanese architects find their biggest inspirations in nature, usually air, wind and water. Other architects use nature much more explicitly in their work. The fusion of nature and architecture shows how deeply ingrained Shinto beliefs are into Japanese aesthetics.
Buddhism has also an important role in shaping Japanese aesthetics and architecture. Gates are predominant elements in Buddhist architecture. “The main buildings at Zen temples
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The temple being closed on the exterior and being so monolithic has its reason compared to the site: it is to protect from the noisy road, but there is no link between the exterior and