Tadao Ando: “Creation Is Fighting … Designing Architecture Is a Battle”

“Creation is fighting. When I was 15 years old I was a professional boxer. I fought about a dozen professional fights. At the same time, designing architecture is also a battle. I have to go forward, always one step ahead … you have to go forward, otherwise you lose.”

If any architect in the world knows about the perseverance required to reach ambitious goals — whether in the ring or in the studio — it is Tadao Ando.

In an interview with the cultural moviemakers at Nowness, the legendary designer compared his former career as a fighter with the many challenges in creating pioneering architecture. This beautiful film reveals the architect’s philosophical views, as well as illuminating the creative process behind his first residential project in New York City, Ichigoni at 152 Elizabeth Street:

“A living space should be a sanctuary,” explains Ando. “It has to be a place where you reflect on your life. When one arrives home, there’s a very tranquil feeling. This project is about that.” The architect went on to describe the material and atmospheric qualities he hopes to achieve with his latest building. “It’s made of the materials that represent the 20th century. Iron, concrete and glass. It is quite silent and very attractive. Here is where you most feel, ‘I’m living in New York.’”

Ando also reflected on the unique context of this famous metropolis, highlighting the potential inherent within its eclectic social and cultural makeup. “I find New York fascinating because so many people arrive here to gather and express new things,” said the architect. “A house can also exist within this metropolitan city, where you can go to the Met, MoMA, the Guggenheim and so on, where one can most feel truly alive in a city. For this feeling, I think New York is unique in the world.”