Interview with Minoru Yamasaki
name: label: Interviewee
content: Yamasaki, Minoru, 1912-
label: Interviewer
content: Harriman, Virginia
label: Names
content: Detroit Institute of Arts
label: Names
content: Oberlin College. Conservatory of Music
topic: label: Occupation
content: Architects -- Michigan
label: Topic
content: Architecture
label: Topic
content: Architecture, Japanese
label: Topic
content: Asian American art
label: Topic
content: Asian American artists
label: Topic
content: Japanese American art
label: Topic
content: Japanese American artists
label: Topic
content: Asian American architects
label: Topic
content: Architects -- Michigan -- Troy -- Interviews
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Donor unspecified.
creator: label: Interviewee
content: Yamasaki, Minoru, 1912-
label: Interviewer
content: Harriman, Virginia
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Minoru Yamasaki (1912-1986) was a Japanese American architect based in Detroit, Michigan.
function: label: Function
content: Public buildings
label: Function
content: School buildings
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 2 Items (Sound recording, duplicate: 2 compact discs, 4 3/4 in.)
label: Extent
content: 1 Sound tape reel (Sound recording, master, 7 in.)
label: Extent
content: 33 Pages (Transcript)
unitdate: label: Date
content: [ca. 1959 Aug.]
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives of American Art
identifier: label: Identifier
content: AAA.yamamino2
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Sound tape reels
label: Type
content: Pages
label: Type
content: Sound recordings
label: Type
content: Interviews
altformavail: label: Existence and Location of Copies
content: Transcript is available on the Archives of American Art's website.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Sound recordings
label: Genre/Form
content: Interviews
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: An interview with Minoru Yamasaki conducted by Virginia Harriman.
label: Scope and Contents
content: An interview with Minoru Yamasaki conducted 1959 Aug. by Virginia Harriman. Yamasaki discusses his philosophy of architecture; his belief that architecture should be based on human experience; and his design of the Detroit Institute of Arts. Using architectural models present at the interview, Yamasaki discusses several of his architectural projects, including the Conservatory of Music for Oberlin College; the Michigan Consolidated Gas Company, it being the first high building built in Detroit in some years, building to convey a sense of upwardness; World Agricultural Fair for India (temporary) opening December 11, 1959, participating with other countries, Trade Fair Building, exhibit entitled "Mala U.S.A." [Mala means fair in Indian], showing a series of different experiences at a country fair; St. Louis Air Terminal; Benjamin Franklin Junior High School; Wayne Education Building; McGregor Building; Daran Air Terminal (Arabia); trying to be consistent in buildings; Gothic arch; learning from the past about qualities one seeks in architecture; being true to technology; Japanese architecture; serene buildings; machine-made buildings; and limiting himself to public buildings.