The constructed other : Japanese architecture in the Western mind A built chimera : the image of Japanese architecture Three types of otherness : early Western responses The self in the other : Western theories in Japanese buildings The other in the self : adoptions of Japanese ideas The other in the other : the othering of Japanese architecture The lens of myth : the myth of Japanese architecture. The Constructed Other argues that a widespread assumption of the inherent otherness of Japanese architecture made it not only a test of the universality of Western architectural theories but also a seemingly endless source of inspiration. The book traces three interwoven themes in Western accounts of Japanese architecture from the reopening of Japan in the mid 19th century to the present day: a wish to see Western architectural theories validated in Japanese buildings; efforts to integrate elements of Japanese architecture into Western buildings; and a desire to connect contemporary Japanese architecture with Japanese traditions. It is suggested that these narratives had the effect of creating what amounted to a mythical version of Japanese architecture in the West often at odds with historical fact but which nonetheless exercised a powerful influence on 20th century architecture internationally. As such this book should be of value to anyone interested in architectural history Japanese architecture or cultural theory