Ikebana meets Architecture

At their core, both architecture and ikebana are exercises in looking, selecting and leaving out. With a minimum of elements, architects and ikebana artists shape space and give meaning to emptiness.

Ikebana meets Architecture brings these two worlds into dialog. Inspired by five visionary architects – Frank Gehry, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, Zaha Hadid, Tadao Ando and Santiago Calatrava – ikebana artists from around the world explore how architectural ideas can be translated into natural materials and spatial compositions.

Each creation is a personal interpretation of architectural principles, rather than an imitation of iconic architecture. Architecture is thus reinvented in every arrangement – transformed into a temporary, living form. Gehry’s fluid forms, Hundertwasser’s organic irregularity, Hadid’s sense of movement, Ando’s serene use of space and light, and Calatrava’s expressive structures are translated into natural materials, line, balance, rhythm and void. Together, they form an inspiring collection of ephemeral ‘architectures’, carefully captured in photography.