After the Crash: Architecture in Post-Bubble Japan
Daniell is an architect writing for architects, but he is so eloquent that even for the general reader, these essays offer an oblique (and therefore true feeling) account of Japanese society during a tumultuous time. --Susan Pavloska, Kyoto Journal 77 (October 2009)"After the Crash articulates sometimes surprising explanations for a range of Japanese architectural enigmas, among them the conspicuous absence of the open, public spaces central to many Western cities; the remarkably filtered or even ambivalent relationship between architecture and nature; and the ambiguous legacy of Metabolism, the often-overlooked 1960s architectural movement that never realized its full potential." -- Naomi R. Pollock  --Architectural RecordAfter the Crash cements Daniell's place as one of the most articulate and astute interpreters of the Japanese architecture scene for Western audiences. Within the necessarily partial coverage created by the book's anthology format, it concisely captures a moment in Japan's architectural history. As Daniell acknowledges in his introduction, however, that moment is already receding into the past. Japan seems at last to be emerging from the post-bubble gloom, and the themes of Daniell's essays are giving way to new ideas and approaches. A new generation of architects is emerging whose work, while moderated by the pragmatism of the last decade, returns to the experimental attitude of the bubble era. As these new alignments begin to coalesce, let us hope that commentators can follow Daniell's lead and escape the clichés of the past.  --Andrew Barrie, Interstices 9 (January 2009)Daniell has written his very excellent book with the intimate knowledge and insight of a long-term resident and practitioner in Japan, with little of the hyperbole that too often afflicts writings on Japanese architecture and culture. Japanese architects have historically tended to see themselves through the filter of western opinion, and consequently writings such as those in the post- collection have a role - perhaps even a responsibility - in the shaping of Japanese architectural culture. Daniell's comments on the longevity (or shortevity) and sometimes token concern for function in the new architecture - which he presents frankly, without value-judgments - make his commentary almost unique amongst those of western critics, who in general avoid such awkward issues when discussing contemporary Japanese architecture. --Tom Heneghan, AA Files 59 (October 2009)Daniell's study and revealing of the multiple layers below the surfaces of architectural projects is most revealing, such as how the plethora of single-family houses that litter glossy magazines relates to the transforming social conditions of the country. Ultimately Daniell does not fall prey to the typical view of Japan, mainly as a balance of the serene (temples, rock gardens) and the chaotic (Tokyo's urban fabric, its neon streetscapes). Instead he embraces the shades in between, exploring those and finding much to be learned, analyzed and shared. --John Hill, A Daily Dose of Architecture (October 2008)Expatriate architect Thomas Daniell, now a resident in Kyoto, takes us on a historical and spatial tour of his adopted home country. Part architectural handbook, part critical look at the contemporary building, After the Crash spans the economy, infrastructure, and impossibly small spaces of modern Japan.   --Dwell (March 2009)