5-2: The Founding of Nikken Sekkei Construction — The Youthful Spirit of the “Postwar Era” —

Just as the Hasebe & Takekoshi Architectural Office had once left “Sumitomo” to set sail, as if plunging into the storm of the Great Depression, 17 years later, on July 1, Showa 25(1950), 97 people following in that lineage broke away from “Sumitomo” once again—as if setting sail—amid the chaotic postwar era to establish Nikken Sekkei Construction Co., Ltd.

Coincidentally, six days earlier, on June 25, the Korean War broke out on the Korean Peninsula, where military tensions had been rising against the backdrop of U.S.-Soviet tensions.In Japan, which served as a logistical base for U.S. forces supporting South Korea, large quantities of supplies were procured, sparking a “Korean War boom.” This boom led to economic expansions known as the “Jimmu Boom” and the “Iwato Boom,” and the first phase of Japan’s period of rapid economic growth continued until Showa 36 (1961).
Various construction demands were stimulated, including the construction of factories accompanying rapid industrialization; corporate office buildings driven by economic growth; government office buildings erected across the country as symbols of the new democracy; hospitals and schools evolving to meet the needs of the times; and urban planning projects for new towns.Consequently, Nikken Sekkei Construction also experienced rapid growth in the size of its workforce as an organization dedicated to designing the architecture and cities of a new era required by a changing society.
The company had 700 employees by Showa 35 (1960) and reached 1,000 by Showa 45 (1970).

Since the Edo period, Japan has experienced two major shifts in its overarching societal values. The first occurred during the transition from the Edo to the Meiji era, when the country sought to embrace Western civilization almost entirely. It is said that, in world history, it is rare for a nation with a civilization distinct from the West to voluntarily transform itself to align with the Western worldview.The other was the shift toward democratic values in the postwar era. Although the country’s defeat in World War II served as a major catalyst, this period also saw a significant transformation in values. In the fields of architecture and urban planning as well, a movement emerged that sought to define the “ideal form” without being bound by previous conventions, guided by these new values.

By the 1950s, the country had recovered from the devastation of war, and a youthful “postwar” spirit began to emerge in various fields.In the field of architecture as well, a movement known as “postwar modernism” gained prominence, fueled by rapid urbanization, changing lifestyles, confidence in advancing technology, and a desire to build a new society.At the same time, sincere efforts were being made to revitalize traditional Japanese values and culture from an international perspective, rather than being swallowed up by the torrential wave of American civilization.
Even in the world of Japanese architectural design up until the pre-war period, various styles of Modernism influenced by countries such as France, Germany, and the United States had emerged.However, while the people involved in the lineage stretching from the Sumitomo Head Office Temporary Construction Department to the Hasebe & Takekoshi Architectural Office were sensitive to these trends, they reflected the culture of those who had been at the center of the business world prior to the war, and—though possessing a new sensibility—they maintained historicist design as the mainstream.

However, after the war, Nikken Sekkei Construction, anticipating major shifts in societal trends, provided young, talented architects with managerial and technical support and actively created opportunities for them to thrive in the new society.

Two leaders emerged at Nikken Sekkei Construction—a company brimming with youthful energy in the postwar era: Kimiaaki Minai in Osaka and Shoji Hayashi in Tokyo.
Drawing on the history and traditions passed down from the days of the Hasebe & Takekoshi Architectural Office, Kimiaaki Minai, based in Osaka, created numerous buildings befitting the new era.In an era when prefectural government buildings embodied postwar democracy, the Hiroshima Prefectural Government Building (completed in Showa 31 <1956>), designed by the Minai Group, became one of the prefectural government buildings most representative of that era.Furthermore, with the Hyakujūshi Bank Headquarters in Takamatsu (completed in Shōwa 41 <1966>), he proposed a new vision for a bank headquarters that actively contributed to the formation of the urban landscape.
With Tokyo—which continued to grow into a global megalopolis—as his stage, Shoji Hayashi actively incorporated new technologies to create innovative architecture that came to represent Japan during this era. As suggested by Shoji Hayashi’s strong interest in aircraft design, the design group he led sought to create spaces for a new era using cutting-edge technologies.They produced a series of projects that left a lasting impact on the architectural world of the time, including the Palace Side Building (completed in Showa 41 <1966>), the San-Ai Dream Center in Ginza (completed in Showa 38 <1963>), and the Pola Gotanda Building (completed in Showa 46 <1971>).

In this “postwar” era, a distinctive “vibrant and fulfilling presence”—one that defies clear articulation—has emerged not only in architecture but also in various fields such as fine arts, film, and literature. It is certain that this presence stems from the resilience of the postwar spirit, which began from “ground zero.”The projects undertaken by Nikken Sekkei Construction during this era also possess a unique presence that shines with intense brilliance for us today. Perhaps there is something in these works that could be called “Nikken Sekkei Construction’s Postwar Modernism.”

(References)
Nikken Sekkei, Hayashi Group, and the SD Editorial Department (1973), *Space and Technology: The History of Nikken Sekkei and the Hayashi Group*, Kajima Publishing
Takao Konishi (1991), *To 13 Kitahama 5-chome*, Sogensha
Takayuki Hashimoto (1999), *From 13 Kitahama 5-chome*, Sogensha
Hiroyuki Suzuki (1984), *The Seven Powers of Architecture*, Kajima Publishing
(2000) “A Message for 100 Years from Now: Nikken Sekkei’s 100th Anniversary
Shōzō Uchii, Hisashi Yosano, et al., “Dialogue: Reflecting on 100 Years—From the Past to the Future”
*Architecture and Society* (August 2000 Special Issue), Japan Architectural Association
William H. McNeill (2001), *A World History*, Chuo Koron Shinsha