architects, not architecture (AnA), the platform that invites well-known architects to talk about themselves, rather than their work, is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a ‘virtual world tour’. with this series, AnA brings the architectural community closer together by taking participants on a tour around the globe to visit selected cities and virtually meet some of their most relevant architects.

 after virtually visiting brazil to check in with marcio kogan and christiane muniz, AnA heads to japan to hear from renowned japanese architect toyo ito.

 

as a media partner, designboom brings you the entire talk in the video at the top of this page.  enjoy the biography, events and anecdotes that shaped the japanese architect, and don’t forget to register for upcoming talks on the AnA website here.

watch: toyo ito joins 'architects, not architecture' on its virtual world tour
designboom’s full archive of work by toyo ito can be viewed here

 

 

toyo ito didn’t grow up wanting to be an architect, in fact, he once told designboom that he always wanted to be a baseball champ when he was younger. despite this unlikely start, ito, who was awarded the pritzker prize in 2013, has gone on to become one of the world’s most acclaimed architects. he started his own practice in tokyo in 1971 called urbot (urban robot), which would later be renamed toyo ito & associates. the japanese architect has designed museums, stadiums, houses and commercial buildings across asia, europe, north america and south america.

 

watch toyo ito in discussion with AnA host fermín tribaldos at the top of this page, and stay tuned as architects, not architecture continues with its ‘virtual world tour’.