Japanese Postmodernity and Flat Architecture

'Superflat' is a hugely influential contemporary art movement founded by Takashi Murakami. The concept of Superflat art is based on the notion that there exists in contemporary Japanese culture an inherent inclination for two-dimensionality devoid of perspective and hierarchy with all elements existing equally and simultaneously. The theory is defined in broad terms and asserts that this inclination for flat aesthetic has its roots in the traditional Japanese art and the development of post-war Japanese subculture. As such, Superflat as a theory possesses a capacity to engage and explain wide-ranging conditions in contemporary Japan. Taro Igarashi has made such a point and argues that the generations of leading Japanese architects practicing today possess Superflat 'tendency' for flat aesthetics and are inclined to focus on the expressive possibilities of the building's skin. While such sensibility could simply be interpreted as a stylistic trend that has emerged over the years, when examined against the characteristics of the art movement, there exist unmistakable similarities in terms of the design sensibility and techniques applied. Furthermore, the theory has become a force in how Japanese architecture is defined and understood internationally in the past decade.