Creating Work: My Resume (Revised and Updated Edition)

In August 2022, Nikkei BP published the newest edition of a book by architect Tadao Ando, titled "Creating Work: My Resume (revised and updated edition)."

This book is a major revision of the earlier edition of "Creating Work: My Resume," which was first published in March 2012. The recent release includes new text and architectural photographs. A gorgeous collection of mini photo albums are interspersed throughout the book, featuring color photographs of all of his representative works. These include "Sumiyoshi's Rowhouse," the structure that launched Ando's career, and "Brus de Commerce," a contemporary art museum in Paris that was opened in 2021. Readers will be struck by Ando's career trajectory.

Ando has made a name for himself as a world-renowned Japanese architect whose large-scale projects in France, Italy, Germany, the U.S., Europe, and Asia (China, Korea, Taiwan, and elsewhere) have attracted much attention. He has opened the "Book Forest" of libraries throughout Japan at his own expense, stating, "I want the children of tomorrow to find their dreams."

He says, "I have no education and no social foundation. I need to create my own work. Energy, concentration, a sense of purpose, and strong desire will make me overcome the hurdles I set for myself."

What is the source of the energy that drives Ando, who is now in his 80s and continues to work with increasing vigor? Throughout this book you will find the author's passion for creation as he pursues his eternal youth without forgetting his spirit of taking on challenges. His vitality remains exceptional, despite having undergone two cancer surgeries and having lost five of his organs.

Excerpt from the introduction

In fact, I have been leading a very uncertain life with no light in sight all my life. Born and raised in a "non-cultural" environment in downtown Osaka during the immediate postwar period, being unable to go to university, and self-taught in architecture, I thus began my work as if I were digging up the grassroots, without any academic background or social backing. From the beginning, I have been handicapped. Not surprisingly, I had more failures than successes. However, I was able to survive for half a century because I kept the same sense of urgency that I had when I started out with nothing but my own two hands. I think I have been able to do this because I have kept the same feeling of tension - "If I fail here, there is nothing left for me" - and the fighting spirit of " If there is no work, I will make it myself!"

These are not the only reasons why I have been able to find my way. I have clients who always say that what I do is interesting. My family and staff have supported me, and they have always pushed me to keep moving forward. If you are serious about life, sometimes allies will appear. If you don't miss those encounters, adversity can become an opportunity. We can live just fine if we do not have money, talent, backing, or anything else. However, life is meaningless if you do not have a goal or dream. This is the reason for Japan's stagnation over the past few decades. After achieving postwar economic growth, we have been swept away by the times without being able to see beyond them. To be serious about the future, what is needed is not a short-sighted economic growth strategy, but a fundamental vision that asks about the meaning of each individual's life, such as: "What is the purpose of my life and where I do I want to head going forward?"

This is synonymous with the question, "What can I do for society?" Of course, it is not possible for individuals to contribute to society in every way. Each of us is a powerless individual. Nevertheless, even small thoughts, when gathered together, can become a powerful force. The tree-planting campaign that I have been involved in while designing architecture is one example of such activity. Another is the orphan's scholarship fund that I set up after two major disasters, the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995 and the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. Although such activities are outside the scope of an architect's profession, I have learned about society and the joy of creating "work" with people.

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The book described here is one of the unique, high-quality publications offered by Nikkei BP. We cover a wide range of fields, from business skills useful for career opportunities and professional fields related to technology to lifestyle categories such as health and culture. We are keen to see our books published in other languages and welcome requests from publishers, agents and companies interested in translation licensing.

Please contact us for more information on the foreign rights to our uniquely positioned and unmissable books.

For further details, please contact:
Nikkei Business Publications, Inc.

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